The German word for spy is der Spion.
You’ll see Spion in German used in secret agent films, political history, cyber security news, and even casual jokes about nosy neighbors. It's a classic noun with plenty of dramatic flair—and lots of real-life uses too.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (you can grab the full list as a free illustrated PDF).
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Spion.
The feminine form is die Spionin.
Need help with gender memory tricks? This video lesson shows you how to master them quickly.
Pronunciation:
Spion is pronounced [shpee-OWN]
“shpee” like “speed” without the ‘d’
“OWN” like “own”
Two syllables: shpee-OWN
Example sentences
Er wurde als Spion enttarnt.
He was exposed as a spy.
Sie spielte die Rolle einer Spionin im Film.
She played the role of a female spy in the movie.
Ein guter Spion fällt nie auf.
A good spy never stands out.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"War das nicht ein berühmter Spion im Kalten Krieg?"
Wasn’t that a famous spy in the Cold War?
"Er verhält sich wie ein Spion – immer am Lauschen."
He acts like a spy—always listening in.
"Die Firma glaubt, es gibt einen Spion in der IT-Abteilung."
The company believes there’s a spy in the IT department.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Max: Was machst du da am Fenster?
Lea: Ich beobachte die Nachbarn…
Max: Du klingst wie ein Spion!
Lea: Vielleicht bin ich ja einer.
Translation:
Max: What are you doing at the window?
Lea: Watching the neighbors…
Max: You sound like a spy!
Lea: Maybe I am one.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Der Spion hatte falsche Papiere.
The spy had false papers.
Accusative:
Sie haben den Spion verhaftet.
They arrested the spy.
Dative:
Sie gaben dem Spion neue Anweisungen.
They gave the spy new instructions.
Genitive:
Die Identität des Spions ist geheim.
The identity of the spy is secret.
Other ways to say spy in German
While Spion is the standard word for spy in German, there are a few other terms worth knowing. Agent or Geheimagent (secret agent) is common in fiction and intelligence work. Informant is used when referring to an insider who leaks information. For digital surveillance, you’ll hear Spionagesoftware (spyware), while Schnüffler is a slangy, informal way to call someone a snoop or busybody—less official, more judgmental.
Word variations and tidbits
The word Spion shows up in plenty of compound terms. In technology, you’ll encounter Spionagesoftware (spyware), Spionageangriff (espionage attack), and Abhörspion (wiretap spy). In homes, a Türspion is a peephole. Historically, Germany has had many famous Spione, especially during the Cold War. Idioms like Spion spielen (to play spy) or jemanden ausspionieren (to spy on someone) are used casually when someone’s being nosy—whether it’s the NSA or your little brother.
📘 Duden entry for Spion
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Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Spitze means? It’s where every clever Spion aims to be.
And what about Sprung? You might need one to escape if you’re caught.