Some words carry deep emotional and historical weight — and wall in German is definitely one of them. Whether you’re talking about architecture, separation, or the Berlin Wall itself, this is a word every German learner should know.

The word is die Mauer. It’s feminine, and the plural is die Mauern. If you’re still figuring out gender and articles, my gender video lesson will give you the clarity you need.

Mauer is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and while it's often literal (brick or stone), it frequently appears in emotional, historical, or metaphorical contexts.

Examples in all four cases:

Nominative:
Die Mauer ist sehr alt.
The wall is very old.

Accusative:
Wir streichen die Mauer neu.
We’re repainting the wall.

Dative:
Die Uhr hängt an der Mauer.
The clock hangs on the wall.

Genitive:
Die Spitze der Mauer ist mit Glas bedeckt.
The top of the wall is covered in glass.

Where you’ll hear Mauer:

• Berliner Mauer – the Berlin Wall

• Stadtmauer – city wall

• Mauerfall – the fall of the Wall (referring to 1989)

• Mauerbau – wall construction (used in historical contexts)

• gegen eine Mauer reden – to talk to a brick wall

Common verbs: bauen (build), durchbrechen (break through), einreißen (tear down), umgeben (surround)
Adjectives: hoch, dick (thick), grau, unüberwindbar (insurmountable), legendär

Tip: In architecture, Wand is used more often for interior walls (like room dividers), while Mauer usually refers to exterior, freestanding, or defensive walls.

Beginner dialogue using Mauer:

A: Wo ist der Ball?
B: Er ist hinter der Mauer!
A: Where is the ball?
B: It’s behind the wall!

Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Mauer.

“Welche Mauer hast du einmal gesehen — und was war besonders daran?”
What wall have you seen — and what was special about it?

Using Mauer in your own words helps make the concept — and the word — yours.

Duden entry for “Mauer”

German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say wall in German — and how die Mauer appears in everything from historical memory to everyday description.

Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep learning the words that truly matter.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Markt — for markets, marketplaces, and market forces.
Or revisit Medikament — to talk clearly about health and healing.