The German word for smoke is der Rauch.
It refers to the visible cloud produced by fire, tobacco, or machines—but also shows up in idiomatic expressions and warnings.

It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and is important in both literal and metaphorical language.

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a masculine noun: der Rauch.
Need help spotting gender patterns? Our video lesson gives you clear, quick ways to figure them out.

Pronunciation:
Rauch is pronounced [rowkh]

• Rhymes with ouch, but ends in a throaty German ch

• One syllable: RAUKH

Example sentences

Aus dem Fenster kam Rauch.
Smoke was coming from the window.

Rauch ist schädlich für die Gesundheit.
Smoke is harmful to your health.

Der Grill macht viel Rauch.
The grill produces a lot of smoke.

Nuance and usage tips

🔥 Rauch refers to all kinds of smoke—house fires, cigarettes, exhaust pipes, etc.

🚭 Warning signs often use Rauch: Rauchen verboten (no smoking), Rauchmelder (smoke detector).

💨 Not to be confused with rauchen (to smoke), which is the verb form. Rauch is the noun.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Ich rieche Rauch—ist da ein Feuer?"
I smell smoke—is there a fire?

"Der Rauchmelder hat Alarm geschlagen."
The smoke detector went off.

"Nach dem Feuer war alles voller Rauch."
After the fire, everything was filled with smoke.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Tom: Riechst du das?
Nina: Ja… das ist Rauch!
Tom: Schnell, wir müssen nachsehen!
Nina: Hoffentlich ist es nur der Kamin.

Translation:
Tom: Do you smell that?
Nina: Yes… that’s smoke!
Tom: Quick, we need to check!
Nina: Hopefully it’s just the fireplace.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Rauch ist sehr dicht.
The smoke is very thick.

Accusative:
Ich sehe den Rauch von hier.
I can see the smoke from here.

Dative:
Mit dem Rauch kam auch der Gestank.
With the smoke came the smell.

Genitive:
Die Farbe des Rauchs war ungewöhnlich.
The color of the smoke was unusual.

Other ways to say smoke in German

There’s no real synonym for Rauch in common speech. Qualm is a thicker, choking type of smoke (often used for greasy kitchen smoke). Dunst means mist or vapor but can overlap in some poetic uses.

Word variations and tidbits

You’ll see Rauch in:

• Rauchmelder – smoke detector

• Rauchverbot – smoking ban

• Rauchentwicklung – smoke development

• Zigarettenrauch – cigarette smoke

• Rauchwolke – cloud of smoke

🧠 Fun fact: The phrase Da ist Rauch, da ist auch Feuer (“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire”) exists in both German and English, with the same meaning—signs of trouble.

📘 Duden entry for Rauch:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Rauch
🎥 Want to clear the air around German vocabulary? Our video course teaches you 1000 essential nouns with clarity and structure—no smoke and mirrors.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Regel means? Sometimes, Rauch tells you one’s been broken.
And what about Rest? It’s often what’s left behind when the Rauch clears.