Whether it’s in a thriller movie, a news report, or a conversation about safety, the word gun grabs attention. So if you’re learning German, knowing how to say Gun in German is more than just vocabulary—it’s about recognizing tone, context, and culture. The German word is die Pistole, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll encounter it in police dramas, war documentaries, and political debates about gun laws.
Pistole is a feminine noun—die Pistole—and it’s pronounced pis-TOH-leh, with the final e fully pronounced, unlike in English. If you’re still a little unsure about how gender works in German, our quick video lesson on der, die, das makes it all much easier to remember.
In German, Pistole specifically refers to a handgun—something small, portable, and typically held in one hand. It’s not a general term for all guns. Larger firearms are called Gewehr (rifle) or Schusswaffe (firearm). In fact, Schusswaffe is often the more formal or neutral term used in legal or police contexts. So if someone is carrying “eine Pistole,” they are definitely talking about a pistol or handgun.
The opposite of Pistole? There’s no clean antonym, but conceptually it might be something like Friedenszeichen (peace symbol) or Entwaffnung (disarmament), depending on context. Germans often associate the word with crime, authority, or self-defense, just like English speakers do.
The word appears in phrases like mit vorgehaltener Pistole (at gunpoint), or jemandem die Pistole auf die Brust setzen—a vivid idiom meaning “to put pressure on someone” (literally, “to press a pistol against someone’s chest”).
Example Sentences
Die Polizei fand eine geladene Pistole im Handschuhfach.
The police found a loaded gun in the glove compartment.
Er hat behauptet, er hätte nie eine Pistole besessen.
He claimed he had never owned a gun.
In dem Film bedroht der Täter die Zeugin mit einer Pistole.
In the film, the perpetrator threatens the witness with a gun.
Beginner Dialogue
Tarek: Was war das für ein Lärm?
Mia: Jemand hat draußen mit einer Pistole geschossen!
Translation
Tarek: What was that noise?
Mia: Someone fired a gun outside!
Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Pistole
Want more words that show up in intense situations?
Check out Politik to explore conversations about law, power, and society.
Or revisit Posten for jobs, responsibilities, and strategic positions.
And who could forget about Position! You'll always know where you are with that word!
Viel Erfolg beim Deutschlernen – and stay sharp with high-impact vocabulary like Gun in German.