It’s what fills the room at weddings, clubs, and cultural festivals—movement, rhythm, and joy. In German, it’s der Tanz. This is your German Word of the Day—lively, expressive, and a word that brings music and language together.

The noun Tanz means dance, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Whether you’re watching ballet, taking lessons, or just letting loose at a party, Tanz will be right there with you.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Tanz (not sure how to handle noun gender? Our video lesson gives you all the tools you need to get it right).

Pronunciation

Tanz is pronounced [tants]

• Rhymes with “pants,” but ends with a sharp German z (pronounced like ts)

• One quick syllable: Tanz

Example sentences

• Der Tanz beginnt um acht Uhr.
  The dance begins at eight o’clock.

• Sie liebt klassischen Tanz.
  She loves classical dance.

• Tanz ist für ihn mehr als ein Hobby.
  Dance is more than a hobby for him.

Nuance and usage tips

Tanz can refer to:

💃 A style of dance:

• Volkstanz – folk dance

• Paartanz – partner dance

• Modern Dance – contemporary dance (often kept in English)

• Balletttanz – ballet

• Tanzstil – dance style

🕺 A specific event or performance:

• Schultanz – school dance

• Tanzabend – dance evening / dance party

• Eröffnungstanz – opening dance (e.g. at a wedding)

• Tanzwettbewerb – dance competition

🎭 Figurative use:

• Tanz auf dem Vulkan – “dancing on a volcano” (living dangerously)

💬 Verbs related to Tanz:

• tanzen – to dance

• einen Tanz aufführen – to perform a dance

• zum Tanz bitten – to ask someone to dance (a bit old-fashioned, formal)

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Machst du mit beim Tanzkurs?"
  Are you joining the dance class?

• "Der Tanz war echt beeindruckend."
  The dance was really impressive.

• "Wir hatten unseren ersten Kuss beim letzten Tanz."
  We had our first kiss during the last dance.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Jonas: Gehst du morgen auf die Party?
Leila: Klar! Ich freu mich schon auf den Tanz.
Jonas: Tanzt du eigentlich gerne?
Leila: Total – vor allem Salsa!

Translation:
Jonas: Are you going to the party tomorrow?
Leila: Definitely! I’m already looking forward to the dance.
Jonas: Do you like dancing?
Leila: Absolutely—especially salsa!

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Tanz war wunderschön.
The dance was beautiful.

Accusative:
Ich habe den Tanz gesehen.
I saw the dance.

Dative:
Mit dem Tanz fing alles an.
It all started with the dance.

Genitive:
Der Rhythmus des Tanzes war mitreißend.
The rhythm of the dance was captivating.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Tanzschule – dance school

• Tanzfläche – dance floor

• Tanzpartner(in) – dance partner

• Tanzkleidung – dance attire

• Tanzmusik – dance music

• Tanzstunde – dance lesson

🩰 Fun fact: In many German-speaking countries, it’s traditional for teenagers to attend a Tanzkurs (dance course) around age 14–16, where they learn social dances like the Walzer (waltz) and Cha-Cha-Cha—often followed by a formal Abschlussball (final ball).

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Tanz
🎥 Ready to step into smoother German? Our free video course teaches the 1000 most common German nouns with examples, visuals, and grammar that flows naturally.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Tasche means? You’ll need one for your Tanzschuhe.
And what about Tasse? After the Tanz, you’ve earned a hot drink.