Whether you're talking about Earth Day, reading science fiction, or just stargazing, the word planet is bound to come up—and knowing how to say Planet in German will open up both scientific and everyday conversations. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and with Germany’s strong scientific and environmental culture, you’ll hear it more often than you might expect.
The German word is der Planet, pronounced just like in English but with a clean German t at the end: pla-NET. It’s a masculine noun, so you'd say der Planet. If gender in German still trips you up, check out our quick and useful video lesson that makes the der/die/das system feel much less alien.
In conversation, Planet works exactly like the English word. It refers to celestial bodies like Earth (die Erde ist ein Planet) or Mars (der rote Planet), and it's used in both scientific and poetic ways. In school, German kids still memorize “Mein Vater erklärt mir jeden Sonntag unsere neun Planeten”—a mnemonic for the planets of the solar system (before Pluto was demoted).
There’s no clear opposite of planet, but depending on the context, it might contrast with Stern (star), Mond (moon), or even Weltraum (outer space) in casual speech. German also uses der Himmelskörper to refer to any celestial object—including planets, moons, and asteroids.
You might also hear Planet used metaphorically in German: someone with an unusual perspective might be said to be “auf einem anderen Planeten”—on a different planet—meaning they're out of touch or dreaming big.
Example Sentences
Die Erde ist der einzige bekannte Planet mit Leben.
Earth is the only known planet with life.
Kinder lieben Bücher über das Sonnensystem und jeden Planeten darin.
Children love books about the solar system and each planet in it.
Manche Leute benehmen sich, als kämen sie von einem anderen Planeten.
Some people act like they’re from another planet.
Beginner Dialogue
Noah: Wie viele Planeten gibt es in unserem Sonnensystem?
Ella: Acht – seit Pluto kein Planet mehr ist.
Translation
Noah: How many planets are in our solar system?
Ella: Eight – since Pluto is no longer a planet.
Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Planet
Want to expand your universe of German vocabulary?
Review Place to understand locations, seats, and space.
Or explore Police for when things go off course.
Viel Erfolg beim Deutschlernen – and keep orbiting closer to fluency with words like Planet in German.