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German vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "hippo" in German?
das Nilpferd
In German, "hippo" is das Nilpferd.
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Pronunciation
Nilpferd is pronounced NEEL-pfert, where Nil rhymes with 'heel' and pferd sounds like 'pfert' (like 'ped' with an initial 'pf').
Grammar notes
Neuter noun, das Nilpferd. Plural is Nilpferde. Compound of Nil (the Nile River) and Pferd (horse).
Example sentence
Das Nilpferd lebt im Wasser und auf dem Land.
The hippo lives in water and on land.
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How to remember das Nilpferd
Nilpferd literally means 'Nile horse', a humorous ancient name for this large river animal.
Related words
- eagle der Adler
- elephant der Elefant
- giraffe die Giraffe
- leopard der Leopard
- orangutan der Orang-Utan
- ostrich der Strauß
- peacock der Pfau
- rhino das Nashorn
- zebra das Zebra
Browse all German words in the glossary.
Questions about das Nilpferd
How do you say "hippo" in German?
In German, "hippo" is das Nilpferd. It is a noun.
Is das Nilpferd masculine or feminine?
Neuter noun, das Nilpferd. Plural is Nilpferde. Compound of Nil (the Nile River) and Pferd (horse).
How is das Nilpferd used in a sentence?
Use das Nilpferd as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: Das Nilpferd lebt im Wasser und auf dem Land. (The hippo lives in water and on land.).
Where can I practice German words for free?
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"Hippo" in other languages
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