Whether it’s a smile, a dentist’s office, or a gear in a machine—Germans call it a Zahn. It’s a word you’ll hear when something hurts, when something breaks, or when someone’s smile lights up the room.
The noun Zahn means tooth, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It shows up in health conversations, mechanical engineering, children’s books, and everyday idioms.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Zahn.
Pronunciation
Zahn is pronounced [tsahn].
- The Z sounds like ts,
- The a is pronounced like the a in father,
- The h lengthens the vowel but isn’t pronounced,
- One syllable: tsahn
It’s a strong, clean-sounding word—just like a healthy molar.
Example sentences:
- Ich habe Zahnschmerzen – ich glaube, ich brauche einen Termin.
I have a toothache—I think I need an appointment. - Der Zahn wurde gestern gezogen.
The tooth was pulled yesterday.
Nuance and usage tips
Zahn is mostly anatomical but branches out metaphorically and mechanically:
- Literal use (human or animal)
- Milchzahn – baby tooth
- Weisheitszahn – wisdom tooth
- Zahnarzt – dentist
- Zahnspange – braces
- Zahnschmerzen – toothache
- Mechanical use
- Zahnrad – gear (literally “tooth wheel”)
- Zahnräder greifen ineinander – gears interlock
- Idiomatic use
- Der Zahn der Zeit – the tooth of time (i.e., the ravages of time)
- Jemandem einen Zahn ziehen – to take the wind out of someone’s sails (literally: to pull someone’s tooth—used when deflating someone’s expectations)
Its antonym could be Zahnlosigkeit (toothlessness) or even Zahnverlust (tooth loss), though those are technical.
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Der Zahn wackelt schon ein bisschen.
The tooth is already a little loose. - Accusative:
Ich habe den Zahn gestern verloren.
I lost the tooth yesterday. - Dative:
Mit dem Zahn stimmt etwas nicht.
Something’s wrong with the tooth. - Genitive:
Wegen des Zahns konnte er nicht schlafen.
Because of the tooth, he couldn’t sleep.
Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- Zahnarzt – dentist
- Zahnpasta – toothpaste
- Zahnspange – braces
- Zahnbürste – toothbrush
- Zahnersatz – dental prosthesis
- Zahntechniker – dental technician
Fun idiomatic note:
Der Zahn der Zeit nagt an allem.
“The tooth of time gnaws at everything.”
Used to talk about aging, decay, and how nothing lasts forever—especially buildings, ideals, or beauty.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Zahn
🎥 Learn Zahn and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
For fangs, Germans might use Eckzahn or Reißzahn. For mechanical teeth in gears, Zahn remains the word. And whether it’s biology, machines, or poetic decay—Zahn is your go-to.
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Zahn means? How about Zeitung? Find out!