German word

Wal

Pronunciation

IPA/vaːl/

Meaning

  • masculine nounwhale

Example

Im Ozean gibt es viele Wale.

There are many whales in the ocean.

Illustration for Wal (whale)

More examples

Forscher untersuchen das Verhalten von Walen.

Researchers study the behavior of whales.

Core concept

A huge marine mammal rises at the surface, blows air through a blowhole, and travels through the open ocean.

Common phrases

  • das Verhalten von Walen

    the behavior of whales

  • die Population von Walen

    the population of whales

  • das Skelett eines Wals

    the skeleton of a whale

Similar words

Delfin: A small to medium-sized marine mammal known for intelligence, swimming, and jumping.
Orca: A large black-and-white marine mammal that hunts in groups.
Hai: A large sea-dwelling fish with sharp teeth that often feeds on meat.
Meeressäuger: A broad group of marine mammals that nurse their young.

Definition in German

Großes Meeressäugetier, das durch ein Blasloch atmet und oft weite Strecken schwimmt

Word origin

German Wal comes from Old High German wal and ultimately Proto-Germanic *hwalaz, the ancestor also reflected in English whale.

Usage tips

  • Wal is masculine, with the forms der Wal and die Wale; in compounds, Walhai means whale shark, which is a shark rather than a whale.

Related words

  • Walschutzwhale protectionnoun
  • Walforscherwhale researchernoun

Word lists with this word