The German word for cupboard or wardrobe is der Schrank.
Schrank in German refers to any kind of storage furniture: kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, closets, lockers. It’s everywhere in daily life, and the type of Schrank often depends on the room.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (and part of the free illustrated PDF).
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Schrank.
Need a visual way to remember genders? This video lesson gives you exactly that.
Pronunciation:
Schrank is pronounced [shrahngk]
Rhymes with “honk” (but with a rolled “r”)
One syllable: SHRAHNGK
Example sentences
Ich stelle das Glas in den Schrank.
I’m putting the glass in the cupboard.
Der Schrank ist voll.
The wardrobe is full.
Wo ist der Erste-Hilfe-Schrank?
Where’s the first-aid cabinet?
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Der Schrank geht nicht zu!"
The cupboard won’t close!
"Ich habe meine Jacke in den Schrank gehängt."
I hung my jacket in the wardrobe.
"Der Schrank muss dringend ausgemistet werden."
The cupboard really needs a clean-out.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Nico: Weißt du, wo die Tassen sind?
Lena: Im Schrank über der Spüle.
Nico: Ah, danke!
Lena: Und stell sie danach bitte wieder rein.
Translation:
Nico: Do you know where the cups are?
Lena: In the cupboard above the sink.
Nico: Ah, thanks!
Lena: And please put them back afterward.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Der Schrank ist neu.
The cupboard is new.
Accusative:
Ich öffne den Schrank.
I open the cupboard.
Dative:
Ich lege das Tuch in den Schrank.
I put the cloth in the cupboard.
Genitive:
Die Tür des Schranks klemmt.
The cupboard door is stuck.
Other ways to say cupboard or wardrobe in German
While Schrank is the standard word for cupboard or wardrobe in German, Kleiderschrank refers specifically to wardrobes, Küchenschrank to kitchen cupboards, Spind to lockers, and Einbauschrank to built-in cabinets.
Word variations and tidbits
Schrank shows up in Bücherschrank (bookcase), Waffenschrank (gun cabinet), Vorratsschrank (pantry cupboard), Schuhschrank (shoe cabinet), and Schrankwand (wall unit). You’ll also hear Schrankmonster (closet monster) in kids’ rooms or aus dem Schrank kommen (to come out of the closet) in figurative speech.
📘 Duden entry for Schrank
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Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Profi means? Every Schrank builder hopes to become one.
And what about Scheiße? That’s what you say when the Schrank falls apart.