All German word comparisons · Back to the topic overview
Meaning, sentence patterns and examples
| Word | Core meaning | Typical context | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stimme | voice; vote; musical part | Speech, singing, opinions and elections | Die Stimme; plural die Stimmen. |
| Stimmung | mood; atmosphere; tuning | Personal feelings, a group’s atmosphere and instruments | Die Stimmung; plural die Stimmungen. |
Stimme
Meaning and usage: Stimme names the voice you hear when someone speaks or sings. In voting it names a vote, and figuratively it can represent someone’s expressed position. Music also uses Stimme for an individual part in a piece. The context selects the sense: eine Stimme abgeben normally concerns a vote rather than physically giving away your voice.
Grammar: Die Stimme; plural die Stimmen. Useful phrases: mit leiser Stimme, die Stimme verlieren, eine Stimme abgeben. Feminine adjective endings apply: eine ruhige Stimme.
Ich erkenne meinen Bruder sofort an seiner Stimme.
I recognize my brother immediately by his voice.
Jedes Mitglied hat eine Stimme bei der Abstimmung.
Each member has one vote in the ballot.
Stimmung
Meaning and usage: Stimmung can describe how someone feels at a particular moment or the atmosphere shared by a group. A room or event can have a relaxed Stimmung even if nobody says anything. In music it also concerns an instrument’s tuning. These senses are connected through state or disposition, but they are not merely alternative translations of voice.
Grammar: Die Stimmung; plural die Stimmungen. For a current general mood, singular is common. Useful phrases: in guter Stimmung sein; die Stimmung im Team; die Stimmung eines Instruments.
Nach der Pause war die Stimmung im Kurs entspannter.
After the break the mood in the class was more relaxed.
Die Stimmung des Klaviers muss überprüft werden.
The piano’s tuning needs to be checked.
Overlap and context
Eine ruhige Stimme describes the sound or manner of someone’s voice. Eine ruhige Stimmung describes the prevailing mood or atmosphere. Both nouns are feminine and form plurals with -n, so gender alone cannot help you choose. Their musical meanings also differ: a part or voice versus tuning.
Common mistakes
- Use Stimme for the sound of a speaker, not Stimmung merely because you mean tone of voice.
- A person can sein in guter Stimmung. A good Stimme would describe a good voice, not a good mood.
- Remember that political Stimmen are votes. A survey of public Stimmung is about prevailing opinion or mood, rather than necessarily counted votes.
Memory aid: You hear a Stimme; you feel a Stimmung. For music, add the specific part-versus-tuning distinction.
Try it
Complete: Bei der Feier herrschte eine freundliche ___: Stimme or Stimmung?
Show the answer
Stimmung
The sentence describes the atmosphere at the celebration, not one person’s audible voice.