21 December 2025
How do you say scream in German?
The German word for scream or shout is der Schrei.Schrei in German is used for sudden, loud expressions - of pain, joy, anger, or surprise. It’s commonly used in everyday conversation, stories, and headlines. You’ll hear it in both literal and metaphorical ways.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (and yes, you can download the whole PDF for free).
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Schrei.Need better tools for learning genders? This video lesson can help.
Pronunciation:Schrei is pronounced [shry]
- Rhymes with “cry”
- One syllable: SHRY
Example sentences
Ein lauter Schrei ertönte.
A loud scream rang out.
Sie unterdrückte einen Schrei.
She suppressed a scream.
Der Schrei kam aus dem Wald.
The scream came from the forest.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
“Ich habe einen Schrei gehört - hast du das auch gehört?”
I heard a scream - did you hear it too?
“Das Baby hat mit einem Schrei reagiert.”
The baby responded with a scream.
“Sein Schrei ging mir durch Mark und Bein.”
His scream chilled me to the bone.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Noah: Hast du das gehört?Lina: Was denn?Noah: Einen Schrei - draußen vor dem Fenster.Lina: Hoffentlich nur ein Film…
Translation:Noah: Did you hear that?Lina: What?Noah: A scream - outside the window.Lina: Hopefully just a movie…
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:Der Schrei war ohrenbetäubend.
The scream was deafening.
Accusative:Ich hörte den Schrei ganz deutlich.
I clearly heard the scream.
Dative:Mit dem Schrei begann das Chaos.
With the scream, the chaos began.
Genitive:Die Ursache des Schreis bleibt unklar.
The cause of the scream remains unclear.
Other ways to say scream in German
While Schrei is the default for scream in German, you might also see Ruf (call), Brüllen (roar), or Aufschrei (outcry) in specific contexts. For softer outbursts, Schimpfen or Stöhnen may be more appropriate.
Word variations and tidbits
Schrei appears in Angstschrei (cry of fear), Kampfschrei (battle cry), Freudenschrei (cry of joy), and Schrei nach Hilfe (cry for help). The famous painting Der Schrei (The Scream) by Edvard Munch uses this word too. Idioms include einen Schrei loslassen (let out a scream), zum Schreien komisch (hilariously funny-“scream-worthy”), and der letzte Schrei (the latest craze).
📘 Duden entry for Schrei🎥 Want to master dramatic vocabulary like Schrei? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns - with examples, grammar, and a printable PDF.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?What about Schritt? You might freeze in the middle of one if you hear a Schrei behind you.
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