21 December 2025
How do you say that something sounds good in German?
To say that something sounds good, use the verb klingen: Das klingt gut! - That sounds good! (casually just Klingt gut!). And here are the main German nouns for “sound,” each with its own meaning.
Klang describes a sound’s character or quality, especially in music and voices. It is often used for a pleasant sound, but not only pleasant sounds:
Ihm gefällt der Klang dieser Gitarre. The sound of this guitar appeals to him.Ich liebe den Klang ihrer Stimme. I love the sound of her voice.
Ton can mean a musical note, a signal sound, or someone’s tone of voice. In acoustics, a pure tone has a narrower technical meaning; everyday Ton does not require a sound without overtones:
Ihr Ton hat mir nicht gefallen. I didn’t like her tone.Bitte sprechen Sie Ihre Nachricht nach dem Ton. Please leave a message after the beep.
Geräusch means a noise or non-musical sound, such as rustling or rattling. It can be accidental or deliberately produced:
Du machst immer so laute Geräusche, wenn du isst! You always make such loud sounds when you eat!
Schall is the general physical term for sound:
Das Flugzeug fliegt schneller als der Schall. The plane flies faster than (the speed of) sound.
Laut can mean a vocal sound or a speech sound. It need not be intentional:
Er gab einen kleinen Laut von sich. He made a little sound.
Sound is a very popular word nowadays, but it refers specifically to the characteristic sound of a musician, band or musical style:
Diese Gruppe hat einen echt coolen Sound. This band has a really cool sound.
Free download
Get the 1000 Most Frequently Used German Nouns ebook - free.
Leave your email and I’ll send you a link to the ebook. You’ll also get my occasional German-learning tips. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Comments
Loading comments…