The German word for rule is die Regel.
It refers to any guideline, instruction, or pattern that people are expected to follow—whether in games, grammar, law, or life.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and comes up constantly in school, conversation, and social situations.

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a feminine noun: die Regel.
Want to recognize patterns in noun gender? Our video lesson helps you master it fast.

Pronunciation:
Regel is pronounced [RAY-gel]

• “RAY” rhymes with day

• “gel” like gull, but with a softer ending
  Two syllables: RAY-gel

Example sentences

Das ist gegen die Regel.
That’s against the rule.

In der Schule gibt es klare Regeln.
There are clear rules at school.

Die Regel lautet: Nicht nach 22 Uhr duschen.
The rule is: No showers after 10 p.m.

Nuance and usage tips

🧩 Regel is used for official or informal rules—anything from sports to language learning.

📚 In grammar, Regel means a fixed rule (Grammatikregel). In math or logic, nach der Regel XY is common.

🩸 It’s also used euphemistically to refer to menstruation: die Regel haben = “to have your period.”

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Das ist bei uns die Regel."
That’s the rule for us.

"Warum gilt diese Regel überhaupt?"
Why does this rule even exist?

"Ich habe heute meine Regel."
I have my period today.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Leo: Darf man hier rauchen?
Mira: Nein, das ist gegen die Regeln.
Leo: Ach so. Danke für den Hinweis.
Mira: Kein Problem!

Translation:
Leo: Is smoking allowed here?
Mira: No, that’s against the rules.
Leo: Ah, okay. Thanks for the info.
Mira: No problem!

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Regel ist einfach zu verstehen.
The rule is easy to understand.

Accusative:
Ich habe die Regel gebrochen.
I broke the rule.

Dative:
Mit der Regel komme ich nicht klar.
I don’t get along with that rule.

Genitive:
Die Anwendung der Regel ist nicht immer klar.
The application of the rule isn’t always clear.

Other ways to say rule in German

Vorschrift is used for official regulations or laws. Bestimmung and Norm appear in legal or technical documents. But Regel is the most general and frequently used word.

Word variations and tidbits

You’ll see Regel in many compound words:

• Hausregel – house rule

• Grammatikregel – grammar rule

• Spielregel – game rule

• Verhaltensregel – rule of behavior

• Regelwerk – rulebook or system of rules

🧠 Fun fact: The expression in der Regel means “as a rule” or “usually”—for example: In der Regel bin ich pünktlich = “I’m usually on time.”

📘 Duden entry for Regel:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Regel
🎥 Want to follow the rules of effective learning? Our video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns—with examples, grammar, and context that stick.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Rest means? In many Regeln, it’s what’s left over.
And what about Rettung? Sometimes, breaking the Regel is the only path to it.