The German word for end or conclusion is der Schluss.
Schluss in German is used in conversations, announcements, arguments, and stories. It means the end of something—but also the act of ending it, or even a logical conclusion.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (available in our free PDF).
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Schluss.
Need an easy way to make gender stick? This video lesson gives you quick mental hooks.
Pronunciation:
Schluss is pronounced [shlooss]
- Rhymes with “goose”
- One syllable: SHLOOSS
Example sentences
Jetzt ist Schluss!
That’s it! / I’m done!
Der Film hatte ein überraschendes Schluss.
The film had a surprising ending.
Zum Schluss möchte ich noch etwas sagen.
Finally, I’d like to say something.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Mach endlich Schluss mit dem Streit!"
Put an end to the argument already!
"Das ist der Schluss – alle raus!"
That’s the end – everyone out!
"Zum Schluss noch ein Witz."
To end, a quick joke.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Leo: Wie fandst du den Film?
Mila: Gut, aber der Schluss war komisch.
Leo: Fand ich auch. Irgendwie zu schnell.
Mila: Ja, es war plötzlich vorbei.
Translation:
Leo: How did you like the movie?
Mila: Good, but the ending was weird.
Leo: I thought so too. Kinda rushed.
Mila: Yeah, it ended suddenly.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Der Schluss war traurig.
The ending was sad.
Accusative:
Ich fand den Schluss langweilig.
I found the conclusion boring.
Dative:
Mit dem Schluss bin ich zufrieden.
I’m satisfied with the ending.
Genitive:
Die Wirkung des Schlusses ist stark.
The effect of the ending is powerful.
Other ways to say end or conclusion in German
Besides Schluss, other words for end or conclusion in German include Ende (more general), Ausgang (outcome), and Fazit (summary). Schluss is often emotional or abrupt—used when someone wants to be firm or final.
Word variations and tidbits
Phrases include Schluss machen (to break up or quit), Feierabend machen (to call it a day), Zum Schluss kommen (to wrap up), Ende gut, alles gut? (happy ending), and das ist jetzt aber Schluss! (now it really is over!). Also: Schlusslicht (literal tail light, but also metaphor for the lowest rank).
📘 Duden entry for Schluss
🎥 Want to come to the right Schluss about German? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 nouns—with logic, structure, and a downloadable PDF.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Schnee means? It melts eventually—and then it’s Schluss.
And what about Schnauze? You might want to say Schluss! when someone won’t close it.