German word

Erde

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈeːɐ̯də/

Meaning

  • feminine nounEarth

Example

Unser Zuhause ist die Erde.

Our home is the Earth.

Illustration for Erde (Earth)

More examples

Der Regen durchnässt die Erde.

The rain soaks the ground.

Core concept

A handful of brown soil opens into a view of the whole planet, linking local ground with the global Earth.

Common phrases

  • auf der Erde

    on Earth

  • auf der Erde stehen

    stand on the ground

Similar words

Welt: The human world, including its societies, cultures, and everyday life.
Boden: Firm ground beneath buildings and roads or underfoot.
Planet: A round celestial body that travels around a star in space.

Definition in German

Bezeichnet sowohl den Planeten als auch das Material des Bodens.

Word origin

Erde is an inherited Germanic word, continuing Old High German erda and Proto-Germanic *erþō, with the same family as English earth.

Usage tips

  • The preposition distinguishes senses in common phrases: auf der Erde usually marks a place on Earth, while in der Erde places something inside soil.

Other meanings

  • soilnoun
  • groundnoun
  • worldnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • Erdbodengroundnoun
  • erdigearthyadjective

Word lists with this word