German word

Bohne

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈboːnə/

Meaning

  • feminine nounbean

Example

Ich esse jeden Morgen Bohnen.

I eat beans every morning.

Illustration for Bohne (bean)

More examples

Die Kaffeebohne riecht vor dem Mahlen intensiv.

The coffee bean smells strongly before grinding.

Core concept

One firm seed from a legume or coffee fruit, treated as a separate piece whether fresh, dried, or roasted.

Common phrases

  • Kaffeebohne

    coffee bean

  • geröstete Bohnen

    roasted beans

  • Dose mit Bohnen

    can of beans

Similar words

Erbse: A tender, small, round seed often eaten in soup or as a side dish.
Linse: A flat seed that becomes soft when boiled and works well in soups.
Sojabohne: A round seed high in protein, eaten cooked or processed into tofu and similar foods.
Kichererbse: A somewhat large, firm seed commonly boiled for salads or creamy spreads.

Definition in German

Samen oder Frucht von Hülsenfrüchten, häufig als Gemüse, getrocknetes Lebensmittel oder als einzelne Kaffeebohne genutzt.

Word origin

Bohne is an inherited Germanic word, recorded as Old High German bona and Middle High German boune, with English bean as a cognate.

Usage tips

  • The phrase nicht die Bohne is colloquial German for 'not at all', so its meaning is stronger than the literal noun suggests.

Related words

  • Kaffeebohnecoffee beannoun
  • bohnenförmigbean-shapedadjective
  • Bohnenkrautsummer savorynoun

Word lists with this word