You might not expect it, but learning how to say cow in German gives you access to much more than farm vocabulary. It’s part of common expressions, childhood stories, idioms, and even restaurant menus.
The word is Kuh — pronounced “koo,” like the English word coo (as in a dove coos), but with a slightly longer “oo” sound.
Kuh is feminine, so it’s die Kuh. The plural is die Kühe, with the umlaut changing the vowel sound. Not sure how to work with gender? My gender video lesson will help you master it quickly and confidently.
Kuh is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and that makes perfect sense when you consider how often it appears in food, culture, and idioms.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Die Kuh liegt auf der Wiese.
The cow is lying in the meadow.
Accusative:
Wir haben eine Kuh gesehen.
We saw a cow.
Dative:
Ich gebe der Kuh frisches Wasser.
I’m giving the cow fresh water.
Genitive:
Die Hörner der Kuh sind lang.
The cow’s horns are long.
Real-World Tips for Learners
Kuh is straightforward at first — it’s just a cow. But it’s worth learning more deeply because it appears in cultural contexts and everyday expressions.
You’ll hear it in childhood books, jokes, and TV shows. But also in food culture:
Kuhmilch – cow’s milk
Kuhkäse – cow’s cheese
eine schwarze Kuh – a black cow
eine Herde Kühe – a herd of cows
It’s also used in colorful idioms and expressions:
Heilige Kuh! – Holy cow! (used just like in English)
Da liegt die Kuh im Stall! – That’s where the real issue lies (colloquial).
Kuhhandel – a shady or political bargain, literally “cow trade”
Note that calling someone eine blöde Kuh (a stupid cow) is considered quite rude — similar to the English insult. It’s not suitable for polite conversation.
Beginner dialogue using Kuh:
A: Warst du schon mal auf einem Bauernhof?
B: Ja, ich habe dort viele Kühe gesehen.
A: Have you ever been to a farm?
B: Yes, I saw lots of cows there.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Kuh.
“Hast du schon einmal eine Kuh gestreichelt oder aus der Nähe gesehen?”
Have you ever petted a cow or seen one up close?
Say your answer out loud in German and include Kuh in the sentence.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say cow in German — and how die Kuh brings more than just farm life into your German vocabulary.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and keep your vocabulary fresh, visual, and practical.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Kühlschrank — great for daily life and useful prepositions.
Or revisit Kumpel — perfect for mastering casual, social language.