Animal Sounds in German: Words and Examples

You recognise the animal, but a German comic writes wau rather than woof. This guide separates the animal name, a conventional written imitation and the verb used to describe the sound.

The audio examples model the German words and sentences. Match each animal with its written sound word and the verb that describes its call.

Animal, written sound and verb

Written imitations vary with the author and context. The entries are recognisable examples, not a rule that every German text must use exactly one spelling.

German animal-sound words
Animal	Written imitation	Verb	Original sentence
der Hund	wau, wau	bellen	Der Hund bellt.
die Katze	miau	miauen	Die Katze miaut.
die Kuh	muh	muhen	Die Kuh muht.
das Schaf	mäh	blöken	Das Schaf blökt.
die Ente	quak	quaken	Die Ente quakt.
der Frosch	quak	quaken	Der Frosch quakt.
der Hahn	kikeriki	krähen	Der Hahn kräht.
die Gans	schnatter	schnattern	Die Gans schnattert.

Listen to the German examplesGerman audio

Replay a line, transcript and audio files

Der Hund bellt. wau, wau.
Open audio file 1
Die Katze miaut. miau.
Open audio file 2
Die Kuh muht. muh.
Open audio file 3
Das Schaf blökt. mäh.
Open audio file 4
Die Ente quakt. quak.
Open audio file 5
Der Frosch quakt. quak.
Open audio file 6
Der Hahn kräht. kikeriki.
Open audio file 7
Die Gans schnattert. schnatter.
Open audio file 8

Use a verb when reporting what happened

Miau is a written imitation. Miauen is the infinitive of a verb; Die Katze miaut is a sentence. You can write Die Katze macht „miau“, but you do not need the quotation when using the verb.

The same written quak can be associated with an Ente or a Frosch. Context identifies the animal. Do not treat a sound word as an exact species identifier. With the verb, check agreement: Die Hunde bellen, but der Hund bellt.

Explain the sound in a picture

A: Was bedeutet „kikeriki“ unter dem Bild?
B: Das ist ein geschriebenes Tiergeräusch. Der Hahn kräht.
A: Und „miau“?
B: Das passt zur Katze. Die Katze miaut.
A: Dann schreibe ich einen ganzen Satz unter mein Bild.

Write a caption, then a sentence

Choose three animals. First write a short comic-style caption containing a sound word. Then replace it with a complete sentence using the verb. You are practising two text types, not replacing every animal verb with an imitation.

Read the short German model, cover the written sound and retrieve it. Then say the complete sentence. If you are listening to a real animal, use an actual recording from a clearly credited wildlife source rather than this spoken vocabulary model.

Put it into practice

Try each task before opening the answer. Open questions show one possible model answer.

Which written imitation commonly represents a cat?
Answer and explanation
miau
Miauen is the verb; miau is a written imitation.
Complete: Der Hund __. (bellen)
Answer and explanation
bellt
The singular subject takes bellt.
Complete: Die Hunde __. (bellen)
Answer and explanation
bellen
The plural subject takes bellen.
Give the verb for the sound of a rooster.
Answer and explanation
krähen
A complete sentence is Der Hahn kräht.
Does quak identify only a frog?
Answer and explanation
No. It can also be used for a duck.
The animal and context matter.
Turn the caption „muh“ into a sentence about a cow.
Answer and explanation
Die Kuh muht.
The sentence uses the inflected verb instead of only an imitation.

Questions learners ask

Are these real animal recordings?

No. They are spoken German models for the words and original sentences.

Is every sound word fixed?

No. Conventional spellings can vary. Learn the common forms with their verbs and recognise variation in comics and children’s texts.

Animal sounds in German: what do wau, miau and kikeriki mean?

Match the picture to the German words