The German word for mirror is der Spiegel.
Whether it’s hanging in a bathroom, on the side of a car, or inside a fairy tale, Spiegel in German is a common, vivid word used for both physical mirrors and metaphorical reflection.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (free illustrated PDF available for download) and essential in daily life—from grooming to driving to deep thoughts.
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Spiegel.
Want help remembering noun gender? This video lesson gives you practical tips and shortcuts.
Pronunciation:
Spiegel is pronounced [SHPYAY-gel]
“SHPYAY” rhymes with “yay” but starts with “shp”
“gel” like “gull” with a soft German ‘e’
Two syllables: SHPYAY-gel
Example sentences
Ich hab mich im Spiegel kaum erkannt.
I barely recognized myself in the mirror.
Der Spiegel hängt schief.
The mirror is crooked.
Sie schaute nervös in den Spiegel.
She looked nervously into the mirror.
Nuance and usage tips
🪞 Spiegel is used for mirrors of all kinds—bathroom mirrors (Badspiegel), rearview mirrors (Rückspiegel), side mirrors (Seitenspiegel), and makeup mirrors (Schminkspiegel).
🪞 It also appears in metaphorical expressions: ein Spiegel der Gesellschaft (a mirror of society), in den Spiegel schauen können (to be able to look oneself in the mirror = have a clear conscience).
📰 Der Spiegel is also the name of one of Germany’s most respected weekly news magazines—so the word may pop up in media even if no literal mirror is in sight.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Ich brauch einen neuen Spiegel fürs Schlafzimmer."
I need a new mirror for the bedroom.
"Schau mal in den Spiegel – du hast was im Gesicht."
Look in the mirror—you’ve got something on your face.
"Der Spiegel war zerbrochen – sieben Jahre Pech!"
The mirror was broken—seven years of bad luck!
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Ben: Du bist ja ganz rot im Gesicht!
Mira: Echt?
Ben: Ja, schau mal in den Spiegel.
Mira: Oh, das kommt vom Joggen!
Translation:
Ben: Your face is all red!
Mira: Really?
Ben: Yeah, look in the mirror.
Mira: Oh, that’s from jogging!
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Der Spiegel ist beschlagen.
The mirror is fogged up.
Accusative:
Ich habe den Spiegel geputzt.
I cleaned the mirror.
Dative:
Im Spiegel sieht man das ganze Zimmer.
In the mirror, you can see the whole room.
Genitive:
Die Oberfläche des Spiegels war zerkratzt.
The surface of the mirror was scratched.
Other ways to say mirror in German
While Spiegel is the universal word for mirror in German, more specific versions include Rückspiegel (rearview mirror), Handspiegel (hand mirror), and Kosmetikspiegel (makeup mirror). For metaphorical uses, you might also see Reflexion in academic or philosophical contexts, but Spiegel remains the everyday go-to word.
Word variations and tidbits
You’ll find Spiegel in many compound words: Spiegelbild (reflection), Spiegelreflexkamera (DSLR camera), Seitenspiegel (side mirror), and Spiegelverkehrt (mirror-inverted). Idioms include jemandem den Spiegel vorhalten (to hold up a mirror to someone = confront someone with the truth). In fairy tales, think Spieglein, Spieglein an der Wand (mirror, mirror on the wall).
🧠 Fun fact: In old Germanic tradition, mirrors were thought to reflect the soul—which is why breaking a mirror was said to bring bad luck. Even today, mirrors remain powerful symbols of truth, vanity, and transformation in German literature and film.
📘 Duden entry for Spiegel
🎥 Want to reflect on better vocabulary? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns—with examples, insights, and a downloadable illustrated PDF.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
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