The German word for dust is der Staub.
It refers to fine, dry particles in the air or on surfaces, and it shows up in discussions of cleanliness, allergies, nature, and even poetic expressions. Staub in German is everywhere—even when you wish it weren’t.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (and you can download the full list as a free illustrated PDF), and it’s an essential word for anyone navigating life, cleaning, or climate in German.

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a masculine noun: der Staub.
Want to learn how to recognize gender patterns quickly? Our video lesson helps make it simple and intuitive.

Pronunciation:
Staub is pronounced [shtowp]

• Rhymes with “loud” and “out” (with a ‘b’ instead of a ‘d’)

• Starts with “sh” as in “shoe”
  One syllable: SHTOWP

Example sentences

Auf dem Regal liegt eine dicke Schicht Staub.

There’s a thick layer of dust on the shelf.

Ich bin allergisch gegen Staub.

I’m allergic to dust.

Der Wind wirbelte den Staub auf.

The wind stirred up the dust.

Nuance and usage tips

🧹 Staub refers to both household dust and natural dust in the air, deserts, or industrial settings.

🌬️ In expressions like Staub aufwirbeln (to stir up dust), it can have both literal and metaphorical meaning—like “to cause trouble” or “draw attention.”

🌪️ Feinstaub (fine dust or particulate matter) is a common term in environmental discussions about air pollution.

🪦 In poetic or emotional contexts, zu Staub werden (“to turn to dust”) is a way of talking about death or impermanence.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Kannst du bitte mal Staub wischen?"

Can you please dust?

"Nach dem Sommer war alles mit Staub bedeckt."

After the summer, everything was covered in dust.

"Ich hab eine Stauballergie – das ist echt nervig."

I have a dust allergy—it’s really annoying.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Sami: Was machst du da?
Lina: Ich wisch den Staub vom Bücherregal.
Sami: Das wird auch mal Zeit!
Lina: Ja, der hat sich schon gestapelt...

Translation:
Sami: What are you doing?
Lina: I’m wiping the dust from the bookshelf.
Sami: About time!
Lina: Yeah, it’s been piling up...

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Staub fliegt durch das Fenster.

The dust is blowing through the window.

Accusative:
Ich sehe den Staub auf dem Boden.

I see the dust on the floor.

Dative:
Mit dem Staub muss man vorsichtig sein.

You have to be careful with the dust.

Genitive:
Die Farbe des Staubs war fast grau.

The color of the dust was almost gray.

Other ways to say dust in German

While Staub is the standard word for dust in German, there are more technical or poetic alternatives. Feinstaub refers to fine dust or microparticles in pollution discussions. In poetic language, you might hear Asche (ash) or Pulver (powder), though these are more metaphorical. Hausstaub is household dust. If you’re describing something very dusty, Germans might say staubig (dusty) or verstaubt (covered in dust or old-fashioned).

Word variations and tidbits

You’ll find Staub in compound words like Staubsauger (vacuum cleaner), Stauballergie (dust allergy), Feinstaubbelastung (fine dust pollution), Staubschutzmaske (dust mask), and staubtrocken (bone dry). The verb abstauben means “to dust off” in both cleaning and casual speech (Ich hab ein Geschenk abgestaubt! = “I snagged a gift!”). In older or poetic German, zu Staub zerfallen (to crumble to dust) is a dramatic way to describe decay or loss.

🧠 Fun fact: The German word Staub shares roots with the Old High German stoup, meaning “to blow or stir up”—fitting for a word that’s always floating around when you least want it.

📘 Duden entry for Staub
🎥 Want to brush the dust off your German vocabulary? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns—clearly, contextually, and with a printable illustrated PDF that won’t gather dust on your shelf.

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