Whether you're giving directions, planning events, or describing the core of an idea, you'll want to know how to say center in German. It’s a small word that sits at the heart of lots of everyday phrases.

The word is die Mitte. It’s feminine, and the plural is die Mitten, though that’s rarely used outside poetic or figurative contexts. If you're unsure when to use die, my gender video lesson can help you master the article system fast.

Mitte is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it's common when talking about space, time, or the essence of something.

Short examples in all four cases:

Nominative:
Die Mitte des Raums ist leer.
The center of the room is empty.

Accusative:
Ich stelle den Tisch in die Mitte.
I’m placing the table in the center.

Dative:
Er sitzt genau in der Mitte.
He’s sitting right in the middle.

Genitive:
Der Punkt der Mitte ist markiert.
The center point is marked.

Mitte appears in many types of context:

  • die Stadtmitte – city center

  • in der Mitte des Monats – in the middle of the month

  • Mitte Juli – mid-July

  • in der politischen Mitte – in the political center

  • aus der Mitte heraus – from the center (physically or metaphorically)

Verbs: liegen (to lie), stehen, setzen, bewegen, markieren
Adjectives: zentral, leer, genau, ruhig, gleichmäßig

You’ll also hear: mittendrin (right in the middle of something), mitten in der Nacht (in the middle of the night), and im Mittelpunkt stehen (to be the center of attention — often used metaphorically).

Beginner dialogue using Mitte:

A: Wo soll ich den Stuhl hinstellen?
B: Stell ihn in die Mitte.
A: Where should I put the chair?
B: Put it in the center.

Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Mitte.

“Was steht in der Mitte deines Zimmers — und warum?”
What is in the center of your room — and why?

Speak it out loud and make Mitte part of your active vocabulary.

Duden entry for “Mitte”

German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say center in German — and how die Mitte helps you talk about position, timing, and even ideas more clearly.

Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep growing your German in all the right directions.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Modell — and describe design, structure, or stylish examples.
Or revisit Monat — to talk about time, cycles, and routine.

About the Author Stephan

Stephan has been a professional language teacher since the early 2000s. He's been calling Berlin his home since 2006, when he started managing (and founding his own) language schools in addition to teaching German and English. He's the owner of Deutschable and loves writing about language, history, and game changers.

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