You use it to talk, eat, sing, kiss, yawn — and in German, it’s also the source of many idioms and expressions. Knowing how to say mouth in German helps you talk about both the body and communication.
The German word is der Mund. It’s masculine, and the plural is die Münder, although the plural is rarely needed in everyday conversation. If you're unsure about articles like der, die, or das, my gender video lesson can help clarify things quickly.
Mund is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it appears in both literal and figurative speech — making it essential for learners who want to sound natural.
Here’s how Mund appears in each of the four cases:
Nominative:
Der Mund ist offen.
The mouth is open.
Accusative:
Sie hat den Mund zugemacht.
She closed her mouth.
Dative:
Mit dem Mund kann man sprechen.
You can speak with your mouth.
Genitive:
Die Farbe des Mundes ist ungewöhnlich.
The color of the mouth is unusual.
You’ll often hear Mund in phrases like:
den Mund halten – to keep quiet
den Mund voll nehmen – to brag
jemandem den Mund verbieten – to forbid someone from speaking
mit offenem Mund – with mouth open (in awe)
jemandem den Mund wässrig machen – to make someone’s mouth water
Verbs: öffnen (open), schließen (close), küssen (kiss), reden (talk), lächeln (smile)
Adjectives: offen (open), sauber (clean), trocken (dry), still, laut (loud)
Idiomatic expressions with Mund are very common — and add personality to even basic conversations.
Beginner dialogue with the word Mund:
A: Was hast du im Mund?
B: Ein Bonbon.
A: What do you have in your mouth?
B: A piece of candy.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Mund.
“Wann warst du das letzte Mal mit offenem Mund überrascht?”
When was the last time you were surprised with your mouth open?
Say your answer out loud — one simple sentence is enough to turn Mund into part of your working vocabulary.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say mouth in German — and how der Mund helps you speak, smile, and understand German expressions that are full of life.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep learning the words that matter most.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Revisit Miete — and explore the language of housing and cost of living.
Or check out Mitleid — and learn to speak with empathy and emotion.