English–German

“wave” in German

German

AlsoWelle · schwenken

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈvɪŋkən/

Example

Sie winkte zum Abschied.

She waved goodbye.

Illustration for winken (wave)

How to say “wave” in German

“Wave” in German is winken.

A raised hand moves visibly to greet, dismiss, or call someone closer.

Full entry for winken: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with winken

Sie winkt dem Busfahrer zum Anhalten.

She waves to the bus driver to stop.

Tips for using winken

  • A person receiving a wave is usually marked by the dative, as in jemandem winken or jemandem zuwinken.

Other German words for “wave”

Am Strand sahen wir große Wellen.

We saw large waves at the beach.

Er schwenkt die Fahne.

He is waving the flag.

“wave” in other languages