You’ll find them in socks, roads, cheese, and stories. Whether it’s physical, emotional, or logical, the concept of a “hole” is everywhere — and knowing how to say hole in German gives you vocabulary for daily life and expressive metaphors.
The word is das Loch. It’s neuter, and the plural is die Löcher. To get a solid overview of when and why to use das, take a look at my gender video lesson.
Loch is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s easy to remember because it often shows up in playful or vivid speech.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Das Loch ist tief.
The hole is deep.
Accusative:
Ich habe das Loch gesehen.
I saw the hole.
Dative:
Er fiel in das Loch.
He fell into the hole.
Genitive:
Der Rand des Lochs war uneben.
The edge of the hole was uneven.
Real-World Tips for Learners
You’ll hear Loch in all kinds of daily expressions:
ein Loch in der Hose – a hole in your pants
ein Loch graben – to dig a hole
Käse mit Löchern – cheese with holes (yes, like Swiss cheese!)
ein Loch stopfen – to plug or patch a hole
in ein Loch fallen – literally: to fall into a hole; figuratively: to feel down or empty after something ends
This last one — in ein Loch fallen — is commonly used when talking about emotional slumps, especially after high-pressure events like exams or performances.
Watch out for the pronunciation of the plural:
Loch → Löcher (with an umlaut)
It’s easy to confuse with Lacher (a laugh) or Läufer (a runner), especially in listening tests — so practice saying and hearing it clearly.
Common compound words include:
Lochkarte – punch card
Maulwurfloch – mole hole
Schlagloch – pothole
Schlüsselloch – keyhole
Astloch – knot in wood
Beginner dialogue using Loch:
A: Was ist mit deinem Pulli passiert?
B: Da ist ein Loch am Ärmel!
A: What happened to your sweater?
B: There’s a hole in the sleeve!
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Loch.
“Hast du jemals ein Loch in etwas Wichtigem gefunden — und wie hast du es repariert?”
Have you ever found a hole in something important — and how did you fix it?
Speak your answer out loud and try to use Loch naturally.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say hole in German — and how das Loch can lead you from practical repairs to emotional insight.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep growing your vocabulary in the most useful way.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Locke — and learn how to describe beauty, style, and personality.
Or revisit Mannschaft — and talk fluently about cooperation and pride.