The German word for material is der Stoff.
It covers physical materials like fabric or textiles, as well as abstract ones like subject matter or academic content. In some contexts, it can even mean drugs—yes, really.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (download the free illustrated PDF!) and appears in classrooms, clothing stores, chemistry labs, and more.

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a masculine noun: der Stoff.
Want to learn the fast-track method to guessing genders correctly? Our video lesson gives you the tools.

Pronunciation:
Stoff is pronounced [shtoff]

• Rhymes with “cough”

• With a crisp “sh” at the beginning
  One syllable: SHTOFF

Example sentences

Der Stoff ist sehr weich.

The fabric is very soft.

Wir müssen noch viel Stoff für die Prüfung lernen.

We still have a lot of material to study for the exam.

Das ist harter Stoff.

That’s heavy stuff / tough subject matter.

Nuance and usage tips

🧵 Stoff is used for textiles and materials, like cotton, wool, or linen. You’ll hear it in fashion or fabric stores: ein schöner Stoff, ein fester Stoff, etc.

📚 It also refers to academic or intellectual material, like the content you have to study for school or university. A teacher might say, Der Stoff wird in der Klausur abgefragt.

🎬 In literature and media, Stoff can mean the source material or plot behind a story or film. So ein neuer Stoff für Netflix might refer to a story idea being developed into a series.

💊 Finally, in slang (especially youth or drug contexts), Stoff can mean drugs. Er dealt mit Stoff is not about fabric.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Wie viel Stoff kommt in der Prüfung dran?"

How much material will be on the exam?

"Dieser Stoff fühlt sich hochwertig an."

This fabric feels high-quality.

"Das war schwerer Stoff – ich brauch eine Pause."

That was heavy material—I need a break.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Mira: Was liest du da?
Jonas: Einen Roman. Der Stoff wurde auch verfilmt.
Mira: Cool! Ist der Film gut?
Jonas: Ja, aber das Buch hat mehr Tiefe.

Translation:
Mira: What are you reading?
Jonas: A novel. The material was also made into a film.
Mira: Cool! Is the movie good?
Jonas: Yeah, but the book has more depth.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Stoff ist teuer.

The material is expensive.

Accusative:
Ich brauche den Stoff für mein Kleid.

I need the fabric for my dress.

Dative:
Mit dem Stoff kann man gut arbeiten.

You can work well with this material.

Genitive:
Die Qualität des Stoffs ist entscheidend.

The quality of the material is crucial.

Other ways to say material in German

While Stoff is the most common word for material in German, other options exist depending on context. If you’re talking about building materials, you might say Material (yes, just like English), especially in phrases like Baumaterial or Werkmaterial. For substance in a scientific sense, Substanz is also used, often in chemistry or medicine. And for learning material, Unterrichtsmaterial is sometimes used interchangeably with Stoff, especially in formal educational settings. Still, for everyday talk—especially about fabric or topics—Stoff is your go-to.

Word variations and tidbits

You’ll often find Stoff appearing in compound words like Stofftasche (cloth bag), Stoffwechsel (metabolism, literally “material change”), or Lernstoff (learning material). In pop culture, Stoff für Geschichten means story-worthy material. And in everyday slang, guter Stoff might describe anything impressive or intense—whether it’s literature, ideas, or something a bit more... chemical.

🧠 Fun fact: The word Stoff comes from Latin stuppa, meaning coarse linen or tow. Over centuries, it expanded to cover the figurative “stuff” that makes up thoughts, plots, and studies. Germans love using it both seriously and playfully.

📘 Duden entry for Stoff
🎥 Want to master every essential piece of vocabulary? Our free video course teaches the 1000 most common German nouns with clarity, context, and memorable examples.

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