It’s what holds up your room, separates spaces, and sometimes gets painted or knocked down. In German, it’s called die Wand. This is your German word of the day, and it’s a foundational noun—both literally and linguistically.
The noun Wand means wall (usually an interior or vertical wall), and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll hear it in home descriptions, renovation shows, and everyday home life.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Wand (still guessing article genders? Our super-practical video lesson will finally make it stick: https://deutschable.com/course/lesson-3-3/).
Pronunciation
Wand is pronounced [vahnt].
- The W is pronounced like a V,
- The a is short, like in father,
- The d is crisp, and
- There’s no final “e”—just a single, strong syllable
It’s a strong, simple word—like the object itself.
Example sentences:
Das Bild hängt an der Wand.
The picture is hanging on the wall.
Die Wand muss neu gestrichen werden.
The wall needs to be painted again.
Nuance and usage tips
Wand refers specifically to vertical surfaces inside a room or building—as opposed to Mauer, which means an outdoor or exterior wall (like the Berlin Wall: die Berliner Mauer).
Common compounds and expressions:
- Wandfarbe – wall paint
- Wandbild – mural
- Zimmerwand – interior wall
- Tapetenwand – wallpapered wall
- Wanddurchbruch – wall opening / knock-through
- Wanderausrüstung – unrelated, means “hiking gear”! Don’t confuse it.
Everyday idioms:
- Mit dem Rücken zur Wand stehen – to be in a tough spot (literally: back to the wall)
- Gegen eine Wand reden – to talk to a brick wall (i.e. someone not listening)
How does this word come up in real conversations?
You’ll likely use Wand when talking about home setups, renovations, or decorating. It’s also useful when giving directions in a room or describing where something is:
“Der Fernseher steht an der Wand.” – The TV is against the wall.
“Ich habe die Wand gestrichen.” – I painted the wall.
Beginner tip: When talking about where something is hanging or leaning, you’ll often use an der Wand (dative) or an die Wand (accusative), depending on motion vs. position.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Paul: Wohin soll das Bild?
Sophie: An die Wand über dem Sofa.
Paul: Hängt es gerade?
Sophie: Fast. Ein bisschen nach links!
Paul: Where should the picture go?
Sophie: On the wall above the sofa.
Paul: Is it hanging straight?
Sophie: Almost. A little to the left!
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:
Die Wand ist weiß gestrichen.
The wall is painted white.
Accusative:
Ich hänge das Regal an die Wand.
I’m hanging the shelf on the wall.
Dative:
Das Regal hängt an der Wand.
The shelf is hanging on the wall.
Genitive:
Die Struktur der Wand ist beschädigt.
The structure of the wall is damaged.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Some more related vocabulary:
- Mauer – external wall (especially stone/brick and free-standing)
- Decke – ceiling
- Boden – floor
- Wandtattoo – wall decal / sticker
- Wandhalterung – wall mount (e.g., for a TV)
Fun fact: In many older German apartments, walls are often made of concrete or brick—so hanging anything heavier than a photo may require a Bohrmaschine (drill) and Dübel (wall plug).
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Wand
🎥 Learn Wand and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course: https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Ready for more German words of the day? Do you know what Warnung means? How about Wäsche? Find out!