Furniture Vocabulary in German

Furniture Vocabulary in GermanIf you know the German for “chair” and “table,” you are already less helpless in a furniture store than a lot of people look on a Saturday afternoon. Useful, yes. Glamorous, absolutely not. But practical German rarely is.This guide gives you the everyday furniture words you actually need in German: the big pieces in a home, the small pieces in a room, useful shopping phrases, and a few grammar notes that stop things from getting weird when nouns change shape. Because German likes furniture, but it likes articles and noun genders even more.By the end, you should be able to talk about rooms, describe what you need for your home, and understand basic furniture listings without staring at them like they are written in old wizard code.Core Furniture WordsHere are the most common furniture words first. The pronunciation help is simple and practical, not a phonetics competition.

German	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
der Stuhl	SHTOOL	chair	Der Stuhl steht am Tisch.	The chair is by the table.	Masculine: der.
der Tisch	TISH	table	Wir essen am Tisch.	We eat at the table.	Very common household noun.
das Sofa	SOH-fah	sofa, couch	Das Sofa ist sehr bequem.	The sofa is very comfortable.	In Germany, Sofa is standard.
das Bett	BET	bed	Das Bett ist groß.	The bed is big.	Neuter: das.
der Schrank	shrank	cupboard, wardrobe	Die Jacken sind im Schrank.	The jackets are in the wardrobe.	Can mean a closet-like cabinet or wardrobe.
das Regal	reh-GAHL	shelf, shelving unit	Die Bücher stehen im Regal.	The books are on the shelf.	Common in homes and offices.
der Sessel	ZESS-el	armchair	Oma sitzt im Sessel.	Grandma is sitting in the armchair.	Comfy, slightly old-school in feel.
der Hocker	HOK-er	stool, footstool	Ich brauche noch einen Hocker für die Küche.	I still need a stool for the kitchen.	Useful in kitchens and small spaces.
der Schreibtisch	SHRYPE-tish	desk	Mein Schreibtisch ist voll mit Papier.	My desk is full of paper.	Compound noun: schreiben + Tisch.
die Kommode	koh-MOH-deh	dresser, chest of drawers	Die Kommode steht im Schlafzimmer.	The dresser is in the bedroom.	Feminine: die.
der Nachttisch	NAKH-tish	bedside table	Mein Handy liegt auf dem Nachttisch.	My phone is on the bedside table.	Another useful compound noun.
die Lampe	LAM-peh	lamp	Die Lampe ist zu hell.	The lamp is too bright.	Often used for table lamps and floor lamps.
der Teppich	TEP-ikh	carpet, rug	Der Teppich ist weich.	The rug is soft.	Listen for the soft ch sound.

A tiny pronunciation note: German nouns are capitalized, so Stuhl, Tisch, and Sofa always start with a big letter. Yes, even when they are sitting there doing nothing.More Furniture And Home ItemsIf you are furnishing a flat, these words come up fast. And if you are shopping in a furniture store, they come up even faster, usually while trying to decide whether the thing fits in your car.

German	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
der Schrank	shrank	cupboard / wardrobe	Der Schrank ist alt, aber stabil.	The cupboard is old, but sturdy.	Often used for clothes storage.
die Gardine	gar-DEE-neh	curtain	Die Gardine ist weiß.	The curtain is white.	Common in homes; plural is Gardinen.
der Vorhang	FOR-hang	curtain	Zieh bitte den Vorhang zu.	Please close the curtain.	Often used for heavier curtains.
der Spiegel	SHEE-gel	mirror	Der Spiegel hängt über der Kommode.	The mirror hangs above the dresser.	Useful in bathrooms and hallways too.
der Teppich	TEP-ikh	carpet / rug	Der Teppich liegt vor dem Sofa.	The rug is in front of the sofa.	Final ch is soft, not like English “k”.
die Couch	kowch	couch	Wir sitzen auf der Couch.	We are sitting on the couch.	Common in spoken German; Sofa is also very normal.
der Sessel	ZESS-el	armchair	Der Sessel steht neben dem Fenster.	The armchair is next to the window.	Good for a comfortable reading chair.
die Bank	bank	bench	Die Bank steht im Flur.	The bench is in the hallway.	Do not mix this up with a money bank. Context matters, like always.
der Pouf	poof	pouf, ottoman	Der Pouf ist klein und leicht.	The pouf is small and light.	Borrowed word; pronunciation may vary.
die Decke	DEK-eh	blanket	Ich brauche noch eine Decke fürs Sofa.	I still need a blanket for the sofa.	Also means “ceiling,” so context matters.
der Teppichboden	TEP-ikh-boh-den	carpeted floor	Im Schlafzimmer ist Teppichboden.	There is carpeted flooring in the bedroom.	Compound noun; used in housing descriptions.
das Bücherregal	BYU-ker-reh-GAHL	bookshelf	Das Bücherregal ist voll.	The bookshelf is full.	Very common compound noun.
die Stehlampe	SHTAY-lam-peh	floor lamp	Die Stehlampe steht neben dem Sofa.	The floor lamp stands next to the sofa.	Literally a lamp you stand up.

Useful Shopping PhrasesThese are the phrases you will actually use when asking for furniture, browsing in a store, or trying to explain what you need without performing interpretive dance.

German	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
Ich suche einen Tisch.	ikh ZOO-kheh I-nen tish	I’m looking for a table.	Ich suche einen Tisch für das Wohnzimmer.	I’m looking for a table for the living room.	einen shows the table is the object.
Haben Sie Stühle?	HAH-ben zee shtyoo-leh	Do you have chairs?	Haben Sie auch bequeme Stühle?	Do you also have comfortable chairs?	Polite Sie form.
Wie viel kostet das?	vee feel KOS-tet dahs	How much does that cost?	Wie viel kostet das Sofa?	How much does the sofa cost?	Very useful in shops.
Ich nehme das.	ikh NAY-meh dahs	I’ll take it.	Ja, ich nehme das.	Yes, I’ll take it.	Simple and very common.
Das passt nicht.	dahs past nikt	That doesn’t fit.	Der Schrank passt nicht ins Zimmer.	The wardrobe doesn’t fit in the room.	Useful for sizes and shopping regrets.
Ich brauche etwas Kleines.	ikh BRAW-kheh ET-vahs KLY-nehss	I need something small.	Ich brauche etwas Kleines für den Flur.	I need something small for the hallway.	Use etwas for an unspecified thing.
Ist das aufgebaut?	ist dahs OWF-geh-bowt	Is it assembled?	Ist der Tisch schon aufgebaut?	Is the table already assembled?	Great for flat-pack furniture.
Kann man das liefern lassen?	kahn man dahs LEE-fern LAH-sen	Can that be delivered?	Kann man das Sofa liefern lassen?	Can the sofa be delivered?	Very handy with large items.
Ich möchte das zurückgeben.	ikh METCH-teh dahs tsoo-RUEK-gey-ben	I’d like to return that.	Ich möchte den Stuhl zurückgeben.	I’d like to return the chair.	zurückgeben is separable.
Haben Sie das in einer anderen Farbe?	HAH-ben zee dahs in EYE-ner AHN-der-en FAR-beh	Do you have that in another color?	Haben Sie die Kommode in Weiß?	Do you have the dresser in white?	Great phrase for shopping.
Das ist mir zu teuer.	dahs ist meer tsoo TOY-er	That is too expensive for me.	Das Sofa ist mir zu teuer.	The sofa is too expensive for me.	Natural and polite enough for stores.
Wo steht die Kasse?	voh shtayt dee KAH-seh	Where is the checkout?	Wo steht die Kasse im Möbelhaus?	Where is the checkout in the furniture store?	Useful in larger shops.

A small but important note: in German, the article changes with case. So you say ein Tisch when something is the subject, but einen Tisch when it is the thing you want to buy or move. German loves a tiny grammar plot twist.Furniture In The HomeIf you are talking about rooms, these words help you describe where furniture lives. Mostly. Furniture does not always behave.

German	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
das Wohnzimmer	VOHN-tsi-mer	living room	Im Wohnzimmer steht ein Sofa.	There is a sofa in the living room.	Very common room word.
das Schlafzimmer	SHLAHF-tsi-mer	bedroom	Das Bett ist im Schlafzimmer.	The bed is in the bedroom.	Literally “sleep room.”
die Küche	KUE-kheh	kitchen	Der Tisch steht in der Küche.	The table is in the kitchen.	Watch the soft ch.
das Esszimmer	ESS-tsi-mer	dining room	Im Esszimmer steht ein großer Tisch.	There is a big table in the dining room.	Less common in smaller homes, but useful.
das Badezimmer	BAH-deh-tsi-mer	bathroom	Die Handtücher sind im Badezimmer.	The towels are in the bathroom.	For more bathroom words, see Bathroom Vocabulary in German.
der Flur	floor	hallway	Im Flur steht eine Bank.	There is a bench in the hallway.	Common in apartments and houses.
der Balkon	bal-KOHN	balcony	Auf dem Balkon steht ein Stuhl.	There is a chair on the balcony.	Useful for apartments.
die Terrasse	teh-RAH-seh	terrace, patio	Auf der Terrasse stehen Tische und Stühle.	There are tables and chairs on the terrace.	Often used for outdoor seating.
der Keller	KELL-er	basement	Im Keller steht ein alter Schrank.	There is an old cupboard in the basement.	Sometimes used for storage furniture.
der Dachboden	DAKH-boh-den	attic	Der Dachboden ist voll mit alten Möbeln.	The attic is full of old furniture.	Good word for storage and old stuff.

Common Furniture VerbsFurniture vocabulary gets more useful when you can say what you do with it: buy it, move it, set it up, clean it, or shove it into a room that is absolutely not big enough.

German	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
kaufen	KOW-fen	to buy	Wir kaufen ein neues Sofa.	We are buying a new sofa.	Very common, everyday verb.
stellen	SHTEL-en	to put, place upright	Stell den Tisch ans Fenster.	Put the table by the window.	Often used with furniture placement.
legen	LAY-gen	to lay, place flat	Leg die Decke auf das Sofa.	Put the blanket on the sofa.	Used for flat things.
hängen	HENG-en	to hang	Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch.	The lamp hangs above the table.	Useful for lights, pictures, mirrors.
schieben	SHEE-ben	to push, slide	Wir schieben das Sofa an die Wand.	We slide the sofa against the wall.	Handy for moving furniture.
tragen	TRAH-gen	to carry	Kannst du den Stuhl tragen?	Can you carry the chair?	Watch the vowel length.
aufbauen	OWF-bow-en	to assemble	Wir bauen den Schrank auf.	We are assembling the wardrobe.	Separable verb.
abbauen	AP-bow-en	to disassemble	Ich baue das Bett ab.	I am taking the bed apart.	Useful when moving house.
umstellen	OOM-shtel-en	to move around, rearrange	Wir stellen die Möbel um.	We are rearranging the furniture.	um changes the meaning a lot.
reinigen	RY-ni-gen	to clean	Ich reinige den Teppich.	I clean the rug.	More formal than putzen.

Yak wisdom: If you can say where the sofa goes, you are already halfway to sounding useful in German. If you can assemble it without swearing, you are basically bilingual.

Grammar You Actually NeedFurniture words are nouns, so they come with articles. The article is not decoration. It matters for meaning, grammar, and whether your sentence sounds normal or slightly haunted.

Pattern	Meaning	German Example	English Translation	Learner Note
der / die / das	the	der Tisch, die Lampe, das Bett	the table, the lamp, the bed	Learn furniture with its article from day one.
ein / eine	a / an	ein Stuhl, eine Kommode, ein Regal	a chair, a dresser, a shelf	Used when the noun is not specific.
einen	a / an, object form	Ich kaufe einen Tisch.	I am buying a table.	The table is the thing being bought.
auf dem Tisch	on the table	Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch.	The book is on the table.	dem shows location with auf.
unter dem Bett	under the bed	Die Schuhe sind unter dem Bett.	The shoes are under the bed.	Location words often take the dative.
neben dem Sofa	next to the sofa	Der Tisch steht neben dem Sofa.	The table stands next to the sofa.	Very common in room descriptions.
an die Wand	to the wall	Wir stellen den Schrank an die Wand.	We place the wardrobe against the wall.	Movement can change the case.
in dem / im Zimmer	in the room	Im Zimmer steht ein Bett.	There is a bed in the room.	im is the common contraction of in dem.

A quick rule: when something is staying somewhere, German often uses the dative case. When something is moving toward somewhere, German often uses the accusative. For furniture, this shows up in phrases like auf dem Tisch versus auf den Tisch. One says it is on the table; the other says it is being placed onto the table. Tiny difference. Huge grammar mood.Useful Descriptions For FurnitureThese adjectives help you talk about style, size, and condition. Perfect for describing what you want or what you definitely do not want.

German	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
groß	grohss	big	Der Tisch ist groß.	The table is big.	Final consonant sounds can be very crisp in German.
klein	kline	small	Ich brauche einen kleinen Schrank.	I need a small wardrobe.	Adjective ending changes after einen.
modern	mo-DERN	modern	Das Regal ist sehr modern.	The shelf is very modern.	Works well in furniture ads.
alt	ahlt	old	Der Sessel ist alt, aber schön.	The armchair is old, but nice.	Can sound warm or negative depending on context.
bequem	beh-KVAYM	comfortable	Das Sofa ist sehr bequem.	The sofa is very comfortable.	Very useful for seats and beds.
praktisch	PRAK-tish	practical	Die Kommode ist praktisch.	The dresser is practical.	Common in shopping and design talk.
billig	BIL-ikh	cheap	Der Stuhl war billig.	The chair was cheap.	Can mean inexpensive, sometimes low quality.
teuer	TOY-er	expensive	Die Lampe ist zu teuer.	The lamp is too expensive.	Very common in stores.
schwer	shvair	heavy	Der Schrank ist schwer.	The wardrobe is heavy.	Useful when moving furniture.
leicht	lykht	light, not heavy	Der Hocker ist leicht.	The stool is light.	Great for portability.

Quick ConfusionsSome furniture words look like everyday English words, but they are not always the same. German enjoys giving learners a small surprise for free.

German	What It Means	Common Confusion	Example	Translation	Learner Note
das Regal	shelf / shelving unit	Not a “regal” in English	Das Regal hängt an der Wand.	The shelf is hanging on the wall.	Used for shelves, not royalty.
der Schrank	cupboard / wardrobe	Not a “shrank” verb form here	Der Schrank ist aus Holz.	The wardrobe is made of wood.	Think storage furniture.
die Bank	bench	Could also mean bank (money)	Wir sitzen auf der Bank.	We are sitting on the bench.	Context decides the meaning.
das Bett	bed	Not “bett” like the English name	Das Bett ist neu.	The bed is new.	Very straightforward.
der Teppich	rug / carpet	Final ch sound can be tricky	Der Teppich ist rot.	The rug is red.	Think a soft hiss, not a hard k.
die Couch	couch	Spelling and pronunciation vary a little	Ich sitze auf der Couch.	I am sitting on the couch.	Very common in spoken German.

For a deeper look at standard word meanings, a boring but useful place is Duden. Boring sources are often the best sources. Like plain toast, but for language.Mini PracticeTry these quick drills. No need to be precious about them. Just get the words moving around in your head.

• Translate: “I need a chair.” → Ich brauche einen Stuhl.
• Translate: “The lamp is on the table.” → Die Lampe steht auf dem Tisch.
• Translate: “We are looking for a small wardrobe.” → Wir suchen einen kleinen Schrank.
• Translate: “The sofa is too expensive.” → Das Sofa ist zu teuer.
• Translate: “Where is the bookshelf?” → Wo ist das Bücherregal?
• Change the sentence to plural: Der Stuhl ist alt. → Die Stühle sind alt.
• Fill in the article: ___ Tisch → der Tisch
• Fill in the article: ___ Lampe → die Lampe
• Fill in the article: ___ Bett → das Bett
• Say it naturally: Ich möchte das zurückgeben. = “I want to return that.”

Common Mistakes And Fixes

• Wrong: Ich suche ein Tisch.
  Right: Ich suche einen Tisch.
  Why: After suche, the table is the object, so you need einen.
• Wrong: Das Stuhl ist bequem.
  Right: Der Stuhl ist bequem.
  Why: Stuhl is masculine, so it takes der.
• Wrong: Wir sitzen auf den Sofa.
  Right: Wir sitzen auf dem Sofa.
  Why: Location after many prepositions usually needs dative: dem.
• Wrong: Ich kaufe die Bett.
  Right: Ich kaufe das Bett.
  Why: Bett is neuter.
• Wrong: der Bücherregal
  Right: das Bücherregal
  Why: Compound noun gender is based on the whole word, not the first part.
• Wrong: Ich baue auf den Schrank.
  Right: Ich baue den Schrank auf.
  Why: aufbauen is separable, so the prefix often moves to the end.

Germany, Austria, And Switzerland NotesFor furniture words, standard German is usually the safest choice. Still, a few regional habits are worth knowing so you do not get side-eye from a perfectly innocent sofa.

Expression	Germany	Austria	Switzerland	Note
Sofa / Couch	Both common	Both understood	Both understood	Sofa feels a bit more standard; Couch is very common in speech.
Schrank	Very common	Very common	Very common	Safe across all regions.
Wohnzimmer	Standard	Standard	Standard	Used everywhere.
Kommode	Standard	Standard	Standard	No drama here.
Esszimmer	Standard	Standard	Standard	Useful in descriptions, less common in tiny apartments.

If you want a general refresher on German learning resources, the main Learn German hub can keep the furniture words company. They do like to stand next to each other in categories, apparently.Related Useful TopicsFurniture is much easier to talk about when you also know the words for rooms, kitchen items, and household basics. Conveniently, that is a whole little ecosystem of words waiting to be useful.

• For bathroom items and home rooms, see Bathroom Vocabulary in German.
• For kitchen add-ons and flavor words, see Condiments Vocabulary in German.
• For a broader learning path, use the main Learn German page.

Quick TakeawayIf you remember just a few essentials, make them der Tisch, der Stuhl, das Sofa, das Bett, der Schrank, and das Regal. Add a few shopping phrases, and suddenly German furniture talk is much less scary and much more normal.Yak takeaway: learn the noun with its article, use the phrase in a real sentence, and German furniture vocabulary starts behaving like useful language instead of a pile of unassembled parts.

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