From lullabies to love songs to loud karaoke nights, music is part of how we connect and express ourselves. If you want to talk about singing, listening, or remembering — you’ll need to know how to say song in German.
The word is das Lied. It’s neuter, and the plural is die Lieder. If you're unsure when to use das, check out my gender video lesson for a solid and simple explanation.
Lied is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s one of those words that blends emotional power with daily practicality.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Das Lied gefällt mir.
I like the song.
Accusative:
Ich höre das Lied jeden Tag.
I listen to the song every day.
Dative:
Mit dem Lied begann alles.
Everything started with the song.
Genitive:
Die Melodie des Liedes ist wunderschön.
The melody of the song is beautiful.
Real-World Tips for Learners
You’ll hear Lied everywhere from kindergarten to concerts to late-night chats. Some very common expressions include:
ein Lied singen – to sing a song
Lieblingslied – favorite song
ein trauriges Lied – a sad song
Kinderlied – children’s song
Weihnachtslied – Christmas carol
Volkslied – folk song
There’s also a deeper layer: in classical German culture, a Lied can refer to an art song (e.g., Schubert-Lieder), meaning a musical setting of poetry — so the word carries both everyday and refined associations.
Idiomatic usage:
ein Lied davon singen können – literally “to be able to sing a song about it,” meaning: to know from personal (usually negative) experience.
Example: Davon kann ich ein Lied singen – I know all about that / I've been through that too.
Learning tip: Listening to Lieder while reading the lyrics is an excellent way to improve pronunciation, rhythm, and vocabulary — especially with slower or clear-speech genres like German pop, children's songs, or Schlager.
Beginner dialogue using Lied:
A: Kennst du dieses Lied von Nena?
B: Ja, „99 Luftballons“ – ein Klassiker!
A: Do you know that song by Nena?
B: Yeah, “99 Luftballons” – a classic!
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Lied.
“Welches deutsche Lied magst du – oder würdest du gern verstehen?”
Which German song do you like — or would you like to understand?
Speak your answer out loud in German, and be sure to include Lied in your response.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say song in German — and how das Lied brings music, feeling, and language together in one beautiful sound.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and start singing your way to fluency.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Lippen — and learn to describe expressions and emotion.
Or revisit Liste — and bring order to your planning and communication.