It’s what carries your backpack, supports your arms, and gives people a place to cry. So how do you say shoulder in German? This body part is used in both everyday language and powerful expressions.

The German word for shoulder is die Schulter.
It’s used literally—for body parts, injuries, and clothing—as well as figuratively in phrases about burden, support, and collaboration. Whether you’re talking anatomy or emotions, Schulter in German is a surprisingly expressive word.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (you can download the full list as a free illustrated PDF)—and one you’ll hear in health, fashion, and daily talk.

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a feminine noun: die Schulter.
Want to get better at guessing noun gender? This video lesson teaches patterns that really work.

Pronunciation:
Schulter is pronounced [SHOOL-ter]

• “SHOOL” like “school” without the ‘k’
• “ter” like “better” without the strong R
  Two syllables: SHOOL-ter

Example sentences

Meine Schulter tut weh.

My shoulder hurts.

Die Tasche rutscht immer von der Schulter.

The bag keeps slipping off the shoulder.

Er klopfte mir freundschaftlich auf die Schulter.

He gave me a friendly pat on the shoulder.

Nuance and usage tips

🧍 Schulter refers to the physical shoulder, used in medical, clothing, and sports contexts. You’ll hear it in Schulterblatt (shoulder blade), Schulterschmerzen (shoulder pain), and Schultergurt (shoulder strap).

🤝 Figuratively, it appears in expressions about support or burden-sharing—jemandem die Schulter leihen (give someone your support), etwas auf die eigene Schulter nehmen (shoulder the responsibility), or Seite an Schulter kämpfen (fight side by side).

💬 It’s also used in casual idioms like mit den Schultern zucken (to shrug one’s shoulders) or jemandem die kalte Schulter zeigen (to give someone the cold shoulder).

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Ich hab mir beim Sport die Schulter verrenkt."

I dislocated my shoulder during sports.

"Sie hat die Tasche lässig über der Schulter getragen."

She wore the bag casually over her shoulder.

"Warum zuckst du nur mit den Schultern?"

Why are you just shrugging your shoulders?

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Lina: Was ist passiert? Du hältst die Schulter so komisch.
Timo: Ich glaub, ich hab mich beim Heben verletzt.
Lina: Tut’s sehr weh?
Timo: Nur beim Bewegen – ich geh später zum Arzt.

Translation:
Lina: What happened? You’re holding your shoulder oddly.
Timo: I think I hurt it lifting something.
Lina: Does it hurt badly?
Timo: Only when I move—I'll see a doctor later.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Schulter fühlt sich steif an.

The shoulder feels stiff.

Accusative:
Ich massiere die Schulter vorsichtig.

I’m gently massaging the shoulder.

Dative:
Mit der Schulter kann ich nichts heben.

I can’t lift anything with the shoulder.

Genitive:
Die Verletzung der Schulter heilt langsam.

The injury to the shoulder is healing slowly.

Other ways to say shoulder in German

While Schulter is the primary word for shoulder in German, in compound terms you’ll find variations like Schultergurt (shoulder strap), Schulterpolster (shoulder pad), or Schulterblick (over-the-shoulder glance, especially when driving). There’s no separate word for left or right shoulder—it’s linke Schulter or rechte Schulter. In slang, Schultern (plural) may appear in expressions of tension or posture, but Schulter remains the standard for both physical and figurative use.

Word variations and tidbits

You’ll see Schulter in compound nouns like Schultertasche (shoulder bag), Schulterhöhe (shoulder height), Schulteroperation (shoulder surgery), and Schulterzucken (shoulder shrug). In driving, Schulterblick is the head-turn to check blind spots. Idioms include eine Last auf den Schultern tragen (carry a burden) and jemandem auf die Schulter klopfen (to praise or encourage someone).

🧠 Fun fact: The expression die kalte Schulter zeigen (literally “show the cold shoulder”) exists in both English and German—though its origins are debated. In both languages, it signals emotional distance or rejection.

📘 Duden entry for Schulter
🎥 Want to strengthen your German—shoulder to shoulder with native speakers? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 nouns with examples, insights, and a printable illustrated PDF.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Sieg means? You might be lifting a trophy on your Schulter after one.
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