It’s what flies above us, chirps in the trees, and pops up in fairy tales and everyday speech. In German, that’s der Vogel. This is your German word of the day, and it’s not just a noun—it’s part of some of the most colorful expressions in the language.

The noun Vogel means bird, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Whether you’re watching birds in the park or joking with friends, you’ll hear and use it often.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Vogel (struggling with gender? Our quick and clear video guide will finally make sense of it: https://deutschable.com/course/lesson-3-3/).

Pronunciation

Vogel is pronounced [FOH-gel].

• The V sounds like F,

• The o is long, like in go,

• The g is soft, and

• The el is gently pronounced like uhl

Stress is on the first syllable: VO-gel—easy to say, and hard to forget.

Example sentences:

Ich habe einen bunten Vogel im Garten gesehen.
I saw a colorful bird in the garden.

Der Vogel fliegt sehr hoch.
The bird is flying very high.

Nuance and usage tips

Vogel is both literal (a flying animal) and metaphorical (a quirky person, an insult, or even a compliment depending on tone).

Some common compound words:

• Singvogel – songbird

• Raubvogel – bird of prey

• Vogelhaus – birdhouse

• Vogelfutter – bird feed

• Vogelkunde – ornithology

Idioms and sayings with Vogel

German uses Vogel in lots of vivid expressions. Some of the most popular:

• einen Vogel haben – to be a little crazy / nuts

  Du hast doch einen Vogel! – You must be nuts!
  (This is very common—used in a humorous or scolding way.)

• früher Vogel fängt den Wurm – the early bird catches the worm

  Used just like in English, encouraging people to get up early or act fast.

• ein komischer Vogel – a strange (quirky) person

  Er ist ein netter, aber komischer Vogel. – He’s nice, but a weird guy.

• freie Vögel – free spirits

  Wir sind doch freie Vögel! – We’re free spirits, aren’t we?

These idioms are perfect for sounding natural—and a bit cheeky—in everyday German.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

Even beginners will hear or use Vogel in basic outdoor descriptions, nature topics, or small talk.

“Was für ein Vogel ist das?” – What kind of bird is that?
“Ich habe einen toten Vogel auf dem Balkon gefunden.” – I found a dead bird on the balcony.
(Yes, it happens in real life.)

You’ll also hear the idiom “einen Vogel haben” in conversations when someone does something silly, bold, or out of the ordinary.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Nico: Guck mal! Was für ein Vogel ist das?
Mila: Ich glaube, ein Specht.
Nico: Der macht ganz schön Lärm.
Mila: Ja, aber ich finde ihn süß!

Nico: Look! What kind of bird is that?
Mila: I think it’s a woodpecker.
Nico: It’s making a lot of noise.
Mila: Yeah, but I think it’s cute!

Grammatical case examples:

Nominative:
Der Vogel singt jeden Morgen.
The bird sings every morning.

Accusative:
Ich habe den Vogel gesehen.
I saw the bird.

Dative:
Mit dem Vogel stimmt etwas nicht.
Something’s wrong with the bird.

Genitive:
Die Federn des Vogels sind blau.
The bird’s feathers are blue.

Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des

Word variations and language tidbits

Other useful forms:

• Vögel – birds (plural)

• Vogelarten – bird species

• Vogelschutzgebiet – bird sanctuary

• Vogelperspektive – bird’s-eye view

• Vogelnest – bird’s nest

Fun fact: In German, you might be called a komischer Vogel and still be liked. It’s not necessarily offensive—just colorful.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Vogel
🎥 Learn Vogel and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course: https://deutschable.com/nouns/

Want another word of the day? Do you know Vorfall? Or Vorschlag? Check them out!