21 December 2025
How do you say style in German?
It’s what defines how you dress, speak, write, or decorate your home. In German, it’s der Stil. This is your German Word of the Day - elegant, expressive, and used in everything from fashion blogs to architectural reviews.
The noun Stil means style, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It refers to the way something is done - visually, verbally, behaviorally - and can be artistic, personal, or professional.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Stil (want to remember gender without effort? Our video lesson will help you get it right every time).
Pronunciation
Stil is pronounced [shteel]
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Rhymes with “feel”
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One clean syllable
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Stress on the whole word: Stil
Example sentences
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Sie hat einen tollen Stil.She has great style.
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Der Autor hat einen klaren, einfachen Stil.The author has a clear, simple style.
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Dieser Stil gefällt mir überhaupt nicht.I don’t like this style at all.
Nuance and usage tips
Stil can refer to style in many contexts:
👗 Personal or fashion style
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Kleidungsstil / Modestil - clothing style
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stilbewusst - style-conscious
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Stilbruch - style clash (e.g. sneakers with a suit)
🖋️ Writing or speaking style
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Sprachstil - speaking style
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Schreibstil - writing style
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umgangssprachlicher Stil - colloquial style
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formeller Stil - formal style
🏛️ Art, architecture, and design
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Barockstil - Baroque style
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moderner Stil - modern style
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klassischer Stil - classical style
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Architekturstil - architectural style
💬 Common phrases:
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einen guten Stil haben - to have good taste/style
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im Stil von … - in the style of …
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mit Stil - with class / taste
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schlechter Stil - bad form (rude or inappropriate behavior)
im großen Stil - on a grand scale
Das ist nicht mein Stil. - That’s not my style.
How does this word come up in real conversations?
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“Ich mag deinen Stil total!”I really like your style!
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“Der Film hat einen ganz eigenen Stil.”The film has a very unique style.
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“Das war echt schlechter Stil.”That was really poor form.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Jana: Was hältst du von meinem neuen Outfit?Luca: Sieht gut aus! Sehr dein Stil.Jana: Echt? Ich war mir nicht sicher.Luca: Doch - total stilvoll!
Translation:Jana: What do you think of my new outfit?Luca: Looks great! Very much your style.Jana: Really? I wasn’t sure.Luca: Definitely - super stylish!
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:Der Stil ist sehr elegant.The style is very elegant.
Accusative:Ich liebe den Stil dieser Serie.I love the style of this series.
Dative:Mit dem Stil komme ich nicht klar.I don’t get along with that style.
Genitive:Die Merkmale des Stils sind unverkennbar.The characteristics of the style are unmistakable.
Word variations and language tidbits
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Stilrichtung - stylistic direction
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Stilmittel - stylistic device (used in writing or rhetoric)
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Stilberatung - style consultation (e.g. personal shopper)
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Stilgefühl - sense of style
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stilvoll - stylish / classy
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stillos - tasteless / tacky
🧠 Fun fact: The word Stil comes from the Latin stilus, the pointed instrument Romans used to write on wax tablets. It evolved into a metaphor for how someone expresses themselves-visually or verbally. Der Stiel means stem, stalk or handle; it sounds the same when Stil is pronounced with initial sht. Stil can also have initial st.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Stil🎥 Want to learn German with Stil? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns - with structure, clarity, and flair.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Streit means? Sometimes a sharp Stil can cause one.And what about Straße? Every city has its own Stil - and so does every street.
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