How do you say Tongue in German?

Whether it’s tasting food, forming words, or sticking out in protest - Germans call it a Zunge. It’s a word that mixes the physical with the expressive, used in anatomy, language, and idioms.

The noun Zunge means tongue, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll encounter it in biology class, spicy food conversations, and colorful German expressions.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Zunge.

Pronunciation

Zunge is pronounced [ˈtsʊŋə], approximately [TSUNG-uh], with short u.

• Z = “ts” sound (like in pizza),
• u = like the “oo” in book,
• ng is one nasal sound, as in “sing”; the final e is a reduced “uh,” with no separate g,
• Stress is on the first syllable: TSUNG-uh

It has a round, flexible sound - perfect for what it describes.

Example sentences:

• Die Zunge besteht aus mehreren Muskeln.The tongue consists of several muscles.
• Pass auf, was du sagst - du hast eine scharfe Zunge!Watch what you say - you have a sharp tongue!

Nuance and usage tips

Zunge is mostly literal, but also used figuratively and idiomatically.

1. Anatomy and sensation
   • Zungenspitze - tip of the tongue
   • Zungenbelag - tongue coating
   • Zungenbrennen - burning tongue
   • die Zunge verbrennen - to burn your tongue (on hot food)
2. Language and speech
   • Muttersprache = mother tongue
   • fremde Zunge = foreign tongue (poetic; everyday: Fremdsprache)
   • Zungenfertigkeit = verbal dexterity or eloquence (formal)
3. Idioms and expressions
   • auf der Zunge liegen - to have something on the tip of your tongue
   • die Zunge rausstrecken - to stick out your tongue (childish or rude)
   • eine spitze Zunge haben - to be sarcastic or biting
   • mit gespaltener Zunge sprechen - to speak with a forked tongue (i.e., lie)
     sich auf die Zunge beißen - to bite your tongue

Related words: Stille means silence and Schweigen means remaining silent; neither is an antonym of the anatomical tongue.