When you ask “why?” or “what’s beneath this?”—Germans answer with Grund. Whether you're looking for a justification or standing on solid soil, this word has you covered—literally and figuratively.

The noun Grund means reason, cause, basis, or ground, depending on context. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s essential in conversation, argumentation, real estate, and even emotional reflection.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Grund.

Pronunciation

Grund is pronounced [groont], rhyming with “wound,” but with a slightly rolled “r” and a deep “u” like in “put.”

• The “Gr” is gruff and grounded,
• The “u” is short and rounded, and
• The final “d” is voiced but almost swallowed—sometimes sounding more like a soft “t” in fast speech.

It’s a firm, no-nonsense word—just like the solid ground or a serious reason.

Example sentences:

• Was ist der Grund für deine Entscheidung?
  What’s the reason for your decision?
• Der Boden ist feucht, aber der Grund ist fest.
  The surface is damp, but the ground is firm.

Nuance and usage tips

Grund is extremely flexible, and can mean:

1. A reason or cause
   • aus welchem Grund? – for what reason?
   • aus gutem Grund – for good reason
   • aus diesem Grund – for this reason
2. The physical ground or foundation
   • Grund und Boden – land and soil (legal/real estate term)
   • auf festen Grund bauen – to build on solid ground
3. Basis or foundation (figurative)
   • Der Grund für sein Verhalten liegt tiefer. – “The reason for his behavior lies deeper.”
   • grundlos – without reason / unprovoked

Its antonyms depend on meaning:

• For reason: Unsinn or Willkür (nonsense, arbitrariness)
• For ground: Abgrund (abyss or void) is sometimes used figuratively

Grammatical case examples:

• Nominative: Der Grund ist ganz einfach.
  The reason is quite simple.
• Accusative: Ich kenne den Grund nicht.
  I don’t know the reason.
• Dative: Mit dem Grund können wir arbeiten.
  We can work with the reason (or the ground).
• Genitive: Wegen des Grundes kam es zum Streit.
  Because of the reason, an argument broke out.

Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des

Word variations and language tidbits

Variation Station:

• aus gutem Grund – for good reason
• Grundlage – foundation / basis
• Begründung – justification
• Gründer – founder
• Grundstück – piece of land / property
• gründlich – thorough (literally “with foundation”)

Fun note: The phrase Grund und Boden is used in legal German to refer to real estate—land ownership rights literally come down to owning “ground and soil.”

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Grund

🎥 Learn Grund and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/

Alternate translations note:
If you're talking about a more formal or structured explanation, you might use Begründung (justification). For a physical surface like “floor” or “ground” in a room, Boden might be more accurate. Grund is best when you’re dealing with causes, motives, foundations, or land ownership.

Ready for two more German words of the day? How about Hitze or Ton?