From soccer goals to spiderwebs, and from Wi-Fi to safety nets — net in German is one of those fascinating words that weaves through sports, tech, nature, and even emotion. It’s a short word with a wide reach.
The German word for net is das Netz. It’s neuter, and the plural is die Netze. If you want a quick, simple overview of gender and articles, check out my gender video lesson.
You’ll find Netz on the list of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German — and it’s not just because of the internet. This little word helps learners talk about connections, systems, safety, and capture — literally and metaphorically.
Here's how Netz appears in each of the four grammatical cases:
Nominative:
Das Netz funktioniert nicht.
The net isn’t working.
Accusative:
Ich repariere das Netz.
I’m fixing the net.
Dative:
Sie fiel in das Netz.
She fell into the net.
Genitive:
Die Struktur des Netzes ist komplex.
The structure of the net is complex.
Depending on the situation, Netz might refer to:
the internet (das Internet / das Netz)
a sports net (in volleyball, soccer, tennis)
a network (electrical, political, or criminal)
a safety net (Sicherheitsnetz)
a spiderweb (Spinnennetz)
Verbs often used with Netz include funktionieren (to work), bauen (to build), einloggen (to log in), fangen (to catch), and verbinden (to connect).
Adjectives that go well with it: sicher (secure), sozial (social), global (global), dicht (tight), and unsichtbar (invisible).
Here’s a sample beginner dialogue:
A: Bist du im Netz?
B: Nein, das WLAN ist ausgefallen.
A: Are you online?
B: No, the Wi-Fi is down.
Even outside the internet, you’ll hear Netz used metaphorically — as in ein Netz von Lügen (a web of lies) or ein soziales Netz (a social safety net).
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud — no need to write. Use Netz or Netze in your sentence.
“Welches Netz benutzt du jeden Tag — und wie wichtig ist es für dich?”
Which net do you use every day — and how important is it to you?
This kind of real-world thinking helps lock in the word and make it your own.
German Word of the Day
Now you’ve learned how to say net in German — and how das Netz touches on tech, nature, and society. Vocabulary like this helps you stay connected in more ways than one.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and keep growing your German vocabulary with clarity and confidence.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Explore Nerven — and learn how to talk about emotions and stress.
Or revisit Neuigkeit — and discover how to share updates, gossip, and surprises.