The German Word for Knife Is Surprisingly Smooth

Whether you’re cooking, camping, or cutting open a package, the word knife in German is something you’ll hear and use constantly.

The word is das Messer. It’s neuter, and the plural is die Messer - the same spelling. If you’re still unsure how to remember when to use das, my gender video lesson explains it clearly and quickly.

Messer is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and comes up often in daily life - in the kitchen, in tool lists and in idioms.

Examples in all four cases:

Nominative:Das Messer ist scharf.The knife is sharp.

Accusative:Ich brauche das Messer.I need the knife.

Dative:Er schneidet mit dem Messer.He cuts with the knife.

Genitive:Die Klinge des Messers ist aus Stahl.The blade of the knife is made of steel.

Where you’ll hear Messer:

• ein scharfes Messer - a sharp knife

• Taschenmesser - pocket knife

• Messer und Gabel - knife and fork

• Buttermesser - butter knife

• Küchenmesser - kitchen knife

• Messerstecherei - knife fight

Common verbs: schneiden (cut), benutzen (use), fallen lassen (drop), putzen (clean), verlieren (lose)Adjectives: scharf, stumpf (blunt), klein, gefährlich, silbern