The German word for doll is die Puppe.
It refers to a toy figure representing a human—used by children for play. But it can also mean a puppet, a mannequin, or a slang term for an attractive woman (usually informal or outdated).
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and appears frequently in stories, shops, and expressions involving play, appearance, or performance.
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a feminine noun: die Puppe.
The -e ending is a strong clue for its gender—explained clearly in our video lesson.
Pronunciation:
Puppe is pronounced [POO-puh]
“POO” like put, but longer
“puh” like puppy without the "y"
Two syllables: POO-puh
Example sentences
Meine Tochter spielt stundenlang mit ihrer Puppe.
My daughter plays with her doll for hours.
Die Puppen im Schaufenster sind gruselig.
The mannequins in the shop window are creepy.
Der Junge führt eine Puppe im Theaterstück.
The boy is using a puppet in the play.
Nuance and usage tips
🧸 Puppe typically refers to children's dolls—Barbies, rag dolls, baby dolls.
🎭 It also refers to puppets in Puppentheater (puppet theatre).
🧍♀️ In fashion or retail, Puppe can mean mannequin or dress form.
🗣️ As slang, Puppe has been used to describe an attractive woman—but this usage is outdated and objectifying. Stick to literal meanings unless quoting characters or lyrics.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Kannst du meiner Puppe ein neues Kleid nähen?"
Can you sew a new dress for my doll?
"Die Puppe kann sogar sprechen!"
The doll can even talk!
"Er hat mit der Puppe gesprochen, als wäre sie echt."
He talked to the doll like it was real.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Mira: Was hast du da?
Toni: Meine Lieblingspuppe. Sie heißt Lilli.
Mira: Wie süß! Spielst du oft mit ihr?
Toni: Jeden Tag!
Translation:
Mira: What do you have there?
Toni: My favorite doll. Her name is Lilli.
Mira: How cute! Do you play with her often?
Toni: Every day!
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Die Puppe ist sehr alt.
The doll is very old.
Accusative:
Ich habe die Puppe verloren.
I lost the doll.
Dative:
Mit der Puppe spielt er am liebsten.
He likes playing with the doll best.
Genitive:
Die Augen der Puppe sind aus Glas.
The doll’s eyes are made of glass.
Other ways to say doll in German
There’s no real synonym for Puppe, but context-specific terms include:
Handpuppe – hand puppet
Marionette – string puppet
Schaufensterpuppe – shop mannequin
Word variations and tidbits
Common compounds include:
Babypuppe – baby doll
Puppenhaus – dollhouse
Puppenkleid – doll dress
Puppenspieler – puppeteer
Puppentheater – puppet theatre
🧠 Fun fact: Germans sometimes say Mach keine Puppe! (very regionally) meaning “Don’t act like a baby!”—though it’s rarely used today.
📘 Duden entry for Puppe:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Puppe
🎥 Want to animate your vocabulary? Our video course teaches the 1000 most useful German nouns—no strings attached.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Rat means? A Puppe can’t give any.
And what about Rauch? Be careful—your Puppe might melt in it.