Say Gun in German - But Choose the Right Term

Whether it’s in a thriller movie, a news report, or a conversation about safety, the word gun grabs attention. So if you’re learning German, knowing how to say Gun in German is more than just vocabulary - it’s about recognizing tone, context, and culture. The German word is die Pistole, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll encounter it in police dramas, war documentaries, and political debates about gun laws.

Pistole is a feminine noun - die Pistole - and it’s pronounced pis-TOH-leh, with the final e fully pronounced, unlike in English. If you’re still a little unsure about how gender works in German, our quick video lesson on der, die, das makes it all much easier to remember.

In German, die Pistole means pistol, a type of handgun. Another type of handgun is der Revolver (revolver). It’s not a general term for all guns. A rifle is das Gewehr. Die Schusswaffe is the general term for a firearm and includes pistols as well as rifles. In fact, Schusswaffe is often the more formal or neutral term used in legal or police contexts. So if someone is carrying “eine Pistole,” they are definitely talking about a pistol or handgun.

Die Waffe means weapon and includes firearms as well as other weapons. Er war bewaffnet means “He was armed.” For a firearm specifically, use die Schusswaffe.