Today we are going to talk about the bedroom in German. And for me, a bedroom has to be cosy, clean and tidy. I’m not exactly fanatic when it comes to tidiness, but the place where I go to rest should have a feeling of “everything is orderly.” And seeing a a big heap of dirty laundry on the floor, or a pile of old dusty magazines on my nightstand first thing when I open my eyes in the morning, makes me feel uncomfortable as well.
The German word for bedroom is das Schlafzimmer (Plural: die Schlafzimmer).
One thing that distinguishes German houses or apartments from their American or British counterparts is that the concept of the “master bedroom” is rather unknown. While the parent’s bedroom is usually the biggest bedroom in the house, the kid’s rooms are simply considered “children’s rooms” and not really counted as bedrooms.
This also means that the size of an apartment or house is given as “number of rooms”, not as “number of bedrooms”. So a “two bedroom flat” would be a “Dreizimmerwohnung” (three-room flat) in Germany.
Bedroom in German
| English Expressions | German Translations | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| bedroom | das Schlafzimmer | neuter |
| bedroom boredom | die Langeweile im Schlafzimmer | feminine |
| bedroom ceiling | die Schlafzimmerdecke | feminine |
| bedroom community (American English) | die Schlafstadt / die Pendlerstadt | feminine |
| bedroom door | die Schlafzimmertür | feminine |
| bedroom eyes | der Schlafzimmerblick | masculine |
| bedroom slippers | die Puschen | plural |
| bedroom suburb (British English) | die Schlafstadt / die Pendlerstadt | feminine |
| bedroom suite | die Schlafzimmereinrichtung | feminine |
| double bedroom (hotel) | das Doppelzimmer (Hotel) | neuter |
| master bedroom | das Hauptschlafzimmer | neuter |
| parents’ bedroom | das Elternschlafzimmer | neuter |
Example Sentences
- Jetzt, wo das zweite Kind unterwegs ist, ziehen wir in eine Pendlerstadt. Da können wir uns ein Haus mit mehr Zimmern und einem kleinen Garten leisten. — Now with the second child on the way, we are moving to a bedroom community. There we can afford a house with more rooms and a small garden.
- Oh nein, der Hund hat schon wieder meine Puschen gefressen! — Oh no, the dog ate my bedroom slippers again!
Bedroom Furniture in German
What you furnish your bedroom with is, of course, up to you. But there are a few pieces of furniture that are typical.
| English Expressions | German Translations | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| bed | das Bett | neuter |
| bedroom cupboard | der Schlafzimmerschrank | masculine |
| bedside table | der Nachttisch | masculine |
| book shelve | das Bücherregal | neuter |
| box-spring | das Boxspringbett | neuter |
| chair | der Stuhl | masculine |
| chest of drawers | die Kommode | feminine |
| closet | der Kleiderschrank | masculine |
| clothes rack | der Kleiderständer | masculine |
| double bed | das Doppelbett | neuter |
| foldaway bed | das Klappbett | neuter |
| four-poster bed | das Himmelbett | neuter |
| futon | der Futon | masculine |
| headboard | das Kopfteil | neuter |
| mattress | die Matratze | feminine |
| night stand | der Nachttisch | masculine |
| valet stand | der stumme Diener | masculine |
Example Sentences
- Wenn du noch mehr Kleider kaufst, brauchen wir bald einen größeren Kleiderschrank! — If you buy more clothes, we are going to need a bigger closet soon!
- Seitdem ich die neue Matratze habe, schlafe ich wie ein Baby. — Since I got the new mattress I sleep like a baby.
- Ich habe immer eine Flasche Wasser auf dem Nachttisch, damit ich nicht aufstehen muss, wenn ich nachts mal Durst habe. — I always keep a bottle of water on the nightstand so I don’t have to get up if I get thirsty during the night.
Bedroom Items in German
| English Expressions | German Translations | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| alarm clock | der Wecker | masculine |
| bedside lamp | die Nachttischlampe | feminine |
| bedside rug | der Bettvorleger | masculine |
| bedspread | die Tagesdecke | feminine |
| blanket | die Decke | feminine |
| curtain | der Vorhang | masculine |
| duvet | die Bettdecke | feminine |
| light switch | der Lichtschalter | masculine |
| pillow | das Kopfkissen | neuter |
| TV | der Fernseher | masculine |
Example Sentences
- Eine Tagesdecke im gleichen Farbton wie die Wände lässt das Zimmer harmonischer erscheinen. — A bedspread in the same shade as the walls, makes the room look more harmonious.
- Ich habe mir einen Lichtschalter neben dem Bett installieren lasen, damit ich die Deckenleuchte vom Bett aus an- und ausschalten kann. — I had a light switch installed next to the bed so I can turn the ceiling light on and off from the bed.
Conclusion
The word for bedroom in German is “Schlafzimmer”. And apart from the way Germans count them, they don’t really differ that much in Germany.
Now, please turn off the light when you leave. I would like to go to bed now.
