Sache, Ding, Gegenstand or Zeug? Four German words for "thing"
German has several words where English simply says thing. As a rough guide, das Ding is a physical object, often one you cannot or do not want to name. Die Sache is a matter or an affair, and in the plural it also means your belongings. Der Gegenstand is the neutral, slightly formal word for an object. Das Zeug means stuff and is casual. There is overlap, and many uses are fixed phrases, so the examples below matter more than the definitions.
das Ding: an object, often a vague one
Ding is the closest word to the English thing when you mean a physical object. It is especially common when the speaker does not know the proper name, has forgotten it, or does not care: Was ist das für ein Ding? (What's that thing?) In casual speech Ding can refer to almost anything, including gadgets, cars and parties.
Wie funktioniert das Ding?How does this thing work?
Gib mir mal das Ding da.Pass me that thing there.
Das ist nicht mein Ding.That's not my thing.
Wir haben noch tausend Dinge zu erledigen.We still have a thousand things to do.
Das ist nicht mein Ding works exactly like the English phrase. In the plural, Dinge can also be abstract, as in the last example, but there Sachen is just as common. A few old phrases use Ding in a more abstract way: guter Dinge sein (to be in good spirits) and vor allen Dingen (above all).
die Sache: a matter, an issue, and your things
Sache has two main uses. The first is abstract: a matter, an issue, a business, a cause. When English says thing but means situation or question, German usually says Sache.
Das ist eine andere Sache.That's a different matter.
Das ist meine Sache.That's my business.
Die Sache ist die: Ich habe keine Zeit.The thing is, I don't have time.
Kommen wir zur Sache.Now, to the point.
The second use is concrete and almost always plural: Sachen are your things, your belongings, your clothes. Pack deine Sachen! (Pack your things!) Ich habe meine Sachen im Auto gelassen. (I left my things in the car.) In shops you will see Sachen used for clothes too: Kindersachen are children's clothes.
Compounds with Sache
Several everyday words are built with Sache: Fundsachen (lost property), Sachschaden (damage to property, as opposed to injuries), Nebensache (a minor matter) and Hauptsache (the main thing). Hauptsache, du bist gesund! (The main thing is that you're healthy!) is a phrase you will hear often.
der Gegenstand: an object, neutrally
Gegenstand is the neutral word for a physical object, without the vagueness of Ding. It is typical of official language, instructions, police reports and descriptions: Bitte keine Gegenstände im Flur abstellen. (Please do not leave any objects in the corridor.) In conversation it can sound a little stiff, but it is the right word when you need to be precise.
Gegenstand also means the subject or topic of something in formal language: Der Gegenstand der Untersuchung is the subject of the investigation.
Im Zug wurde ein verdächtiger Gegenstand gefunden.A suspicious object was found on the train.
Bitte legen Sie alle Gegenstände aus Metall in die Box.Please put all metal objects in the tray.
das Zeug: stuff
Zeug is an uncountable word, like the English stuff. It is casual, and it often sounds slightly dismissive, especially when someone does not like the stuff in question. It is used in the singular: das Zeug, never die Zeuge, which means witnesses.
Räum bitte dein Zeug weg.Please put your stuff away.
Was ist das für Zeug?What is this stuff?
Red keinen Unsinn. / Red kein dummes Zeug.Don't talk nonsense.
Zeug also appears in many compound nouns, where it means a tool or a device and has no negative tone at all: das Werkzeug (tool), das Spielzeug (toy), das Flugzeug (aeroplane), das Fahrzeug (vehicle), das Feuerzeug (lighter). The compound is always neuter, like Zeug itself.
Four questions that help you choose
When you need a word for thing and you are not sure which one fits, these questions usually lead to the right one.
- Is it a matter, a question or a situation rather than an object? Use Sache.
- Are you talking about someone's belongings or clothes? Use Sachen.
- Is it a physical object in a formal or official context? Use Gegenstand.
- Is it an unspecified mass of stuff, in casual speech? Use Zeug.
If none of these applies and you mean a single object in everyday speech, Ding is fine.
| English | German | Why |
|---|---|---|
| What's that thing on the table? | Was ist das für ein Ding auf dem Tisch? | a vague physical object |
| The thing is, it's too expensive. | Die Sache ist die: Es ist zu teuer. | a situation, not an object |
| Don't forget your things. | Vergiss deine Sachen nicht. | belongings |
| No sharp objects allowed. | Keine spitzen Gegenstände erlaubt. | official, precise |
| Get your stuff out of here. | Nimm dein Zeug hier weg. | casual, uncountable |
| How are things? | Wie läuft's? / Wie geht's? | no thing word at all |
When German needs no word for "thing"
The last row of the table shows something important: English uses thing in many phrases where German uses a different construction. How are things? is Wie geht's? The best thing would be to leave is Am besten gehen wir. I have one more thing to say is Ich möchte noch etwas sagen. Etwas (something) and alles (everything) also replace thing in many sentences: Alles klar? (Everything OK?)
So when you translate from English, it is often better to rephrase than to look for the right noun.
For more words that do not match their English look-alikes, see the list of false friends. The dialogue Im Fundbüro is set at a lost property office, where Fundsachen are handed in, and the list of basic German vocabulary shows the gender of each everyday noun.
Written by: Fatih Ün, German teacher · Last updated: