Germans dream of warm beaches and coastal air just like everyone else — but when they talk about the open water, they use a word that’s often confused with “lake.” Learning how to say sea in German helps you talk about travel, emotions, and the natural world with more confidence.
The word is das Meer. It’s neuter, and the plural is die Meere, though in daily life it’s almost always singular. For help with article usage and gender clarity, my gender video lesson explains everything in simple terms.
Meer is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s full of poetic and practical uses — from vacations to metaphors.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Das Meer ist heute ruhig.
The sea is calm today.
Accusative:
Wir sehen das Meer vom Hotelzimmer aus.
We can see the sea from the hotel room.
Dative:
Mit dem Meer verbinde ich viele Erinnerungen.
I associate many memories with the sea.
Genitive:
Die Farbe des Meeres verändert sich im Licht.
The color of the sea changes in the light.
Real-World Tips for Learners
Meer refers to the sea or ocean — vast saltwater bodies like the Ostsee (Baltic Sea), Nordsee (North Sea), or simply am Meer sein (to be at the sea). A common learner mistake is to confuse it with der See, which usually means “lake” (like der Bodensee).
Worse: die See (feminine) also exists — and it also means “sea,” particularly in poetic or maritime contexts. But das Meer is the standard, clear-cut word to use.
You’ll see Meer in:
travel ads: Urlaub am Meer – vacation by the sea
literature: ein endloses Meer – an endless sea
idioms: ein Meer von Tränen – a sea of tears
metaphors: Meere von Möglichkeiten – seas of possibilities
There’s also the adjective maritim (maritime, sea-themed), and the verb mehren exists too — though it’s not related and means “to increase.”
Beginner dialogue using Meer:
A: Warst du schon mal am Meer?
B: Ja, letzten Sommer an der Ostsee!
A: Have you ever been to the sea?
B: Yes, last summer at the Baltic Sea!
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Meer.
“Was gefällt dir besser — das Meer oder die Berge, und warum?”
What do you prefer — the sea or the mountains, and why?
Say your answer out loud, and try to use Meer in your sentence.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say sea in German — and how das Meer carries both poetic depth and practical vacation value.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep expanding your vocabulary — one word at a time.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Lärm — and learn the word for everything you didn’t want to hear.
Or revisit Leben — and explore a word that touches grammar, poetry, and identity.