The German word See can mean either lake or sea, depending on its gender:
- der See = lake
- die See = sea (mostly poetic or in set phrases)
Yes, See in German is a perfect example of why gender matters! The masculine der See refers to inland bodies of water like Bodensee (Lake Constance), while the feminine die See is used in poetic or nautical contexts to mean “the sea.”
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (and part of our free PDF—essential for learning vocabulary with clarity).
Gender and Pronunciation
- der See = lake (masculine)
- die See = sea (feminine)
Struggling with these kinds of distinctions? This video lesson will help you make sense of it.
Pronunciation:
See is pronounced [zay]
- Rhymes with “day”
- One syllable: ZAY
Example sentences
Der See ist heute ganz ruhig.
The lake is very calm today.
Ich schwimme gern in der See.
I like swimming in the sea.
Der Bodensee ist ein großer See in Deutschland.
Lake Constance is a large lake in Germany.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Wir fahren am Wochenende an den See."
We’re going to the lake this weekend.
"Die See war heute ziemlich wild."
The sea was pretty rough today.
"Ich kann vom Fenster aus den See sehen."
I can see the lake from the window.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Jana: Hast du Lust, zum See zu fahren?
Leo: Klar! Ich pack die Badesachen ein.
Jana: Hoffentlich ist das Wasser nicht zu kalt.
Leo: Egal – Hauptsache Sonne!
Translation:
Jana: Want to go to the lake?
Leo: Sure! I’ll pack the swim gear.
Jana: Hopefully the water isn’t too cold.
Leo: Doesn’t matter—as long as there’s sun!
Grammatical case examples (for der See)
Nominative:
Der See ist riesig.
The lake is huge.
Accusative:
Wir besuchen den See jeden Sommer.
We visit the lake every summer.
Dative:
Am See ist es besonders schön im Herbst.
It’s especially beautiful at the lake in autumn.
Genitive:
Die Farbe des Sees verändert sich im Licht.
The color of the lake changes in the light.
Other ways to say lake or sea in German
For lake, der See is the standard term. For sea, the more modern and common word is das Meer (neuter), while die See is more poetic or used in set expressions like hohe See (high seas). So if you want to avoid confusion, use Meer for the sea, and See only for lakes—unless you’re quoting a sailor or a poem.
Word variations and tidbits
See appears in many place names and compound nouns: Badesee (swimming lake), Stausee (reservoir), Bodensee, Chiemsee. For die See, you’ll hear Nordsee (North Sea), Ostsee (Baltic Sea), and Hochsee (open sea). Idioms include wie ein Fels in der See stehen (to be unshakable), and auf hoher See (on the high seas). Pay close attention to context and articles—der See = lake, die See = poetic sea, das Meer = normal sea.
📘 Duden entry for See
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Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Seite means? It might just tell you how to get to the See.
And what about Sender? It’s what tells you the weather forecast for the See.