They smile, speak, sing, kiss, and quiver. If you're learning how to describe the body or express emotion, knowing how to say lips in German is more useful — and expressive — than you might think.
The singular form is die Lippe, and the plural is die Lippen. It’s feminine, and if you’re still working on article memory, my gender video lesson will help make sense of it.
Lippe is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and Lippen comes up in everything from physical descriptions to romantic lines to idioms.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Die Lippen sind trocken.
The lips are dry.
Accusative:
Sie hat die Lippen geschminkt.
She put makeup on her lips.
Dative:
Mit den Lippen berührte er mein Ohr.
He touched my ear with his lips.
Genitive:
Die Farbe der Lippen war auffällig.
The color of the lips was striking.
Real-World Tips for Learners
Lippen are everywhere in German conversation — both literally and metaphorically. Here’s how the word shows up:
In descriptions:
rote Lippen – red lips
schmale Lippen – thin lips
vollere Lippen – fuller lips
Lippenpflege – lip care
Lippenstift – lipstick
In emotional or expressive contexts:
die Lippen zusammenpressen – to press one's lips together (e.g., out of anger)
ein Lächeln auf den Lippen haben – to have a smile on one's lips
etwas von den Lippen ablesen – to read lips
mit zitternden Lippen – with trembling lips
In idiomatic usage:
auf den Lippen liegen – to be on the tip of one’s tongue
kein Wort über die Lippen bringen – to be unable to say a word
A useful learner’s note: while Lippe looks like it might be masculine (like Körper, Finger, Arm), it’s feminine. Mistaking the article is one of the most common learner errors with this word — so it's worth anchoring firmly.
Also, don’t confuse it with the River Lippe, which is a geographic name in Germany. Totally unrelated.
Beginner dialogue using Lippen:
A: Deine Lippen sind ganz blau!
B: Ich war gerade draußen – es ist eiskalt.
A: Your lips are totally blue!
B: I was just outside – it's freezing.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Lippen.
“Was denkst du über Lippenstift — benutzt du ihn, oder findest du ihn unnötig?”
What do you think about lipstick — do you use it, or find it unnecessary?
Answer out loud in German, and make sure to include Lippen in your response.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say lips in German — and how die Lippen help you express more than just words.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep building your vocabulary with context and emotion.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Liste — and organize your thoughts and tasks in German.
Or revisit Loch — and talk about gaps, absence, and repairs.