Body Parts in German: 80 Words & Phrases + Examples

You’re having an intense workout in a German gym and one of the locals come up to you asking whether he can jump in and do the set with you. You start explaining what you’re doing but in a very short time, you forget how to name the body parts in German.

Lucky for you, Spring German (a project I co-founded) made a video, so you can learn them any time:

In this blog post, you’ll have access to our ultimate guide, so you won’t get into a trouble next time you visit the doctor or have to explain a headache.

1. Major body parts in German

As we know, the human body is made of different body parts. In this section, let’s check the basics with the main body parts in German.

2. Parts of the head in German

And now, after we already have an imaginary picture of the human body, it’s time to go one-by-one. Starting with the head – use it to see, think, hear and smell 😉

3. Human body parts in German – the upper body

By this point, we’re moving really quickly further down the body in German. You can use the next table to learn the necessary vocabulary for the upper body in German.

This is extremely useful when your describing yourself of others, or when giving directions related to the torso and limbs.

4. Vocabulary for lower body in German

Important vocabulary about the lower body parts includes the following words:

5. Describe inner body parts – internal organs in German

Maybe you really get into a situation where you have to visit the doctor because you’re in pain. (God forbid that happens, but still, it’s important to know the following words, too!)

So, the internal organs in German are just as important as other body parts in German. You can describe symptoms, you can understand your diagnoses and you can follow the given instructions related to internal body parts and also their functions.

6. Learn the German body parts with a children’s song

There is a very popular children’s song to learn the body parts in German.

It’s called “Kopf, Schulter, Knie und Fuß” and it’s the German version of the English children’s song “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” Take a look and sing along!

The lyrics are:

Kopf, Schulter, Knie und Fuß, Knie und Fuß.
Kopf, Schulter, Knie und Fuß, Knie und Fuß
und… Augen, Ohren, Mund und Nas’.

You already know the English version, for sure!

This catchy song goes together by movements pointing to the body parts mentioned in the lyrics. It’s really funny! Let’s check it right now – brought to you by ToffeeTV:

7. Learn German phrases and German words for body parts

Body part idioms are used in German just like in English to further express emotions, give advice, or describe situations figuratively.

These German sayings and idioms are good because you get to describe some situations that were unknown, or that would be hard to describe otherwise. With these German sentences, you’ll get closer to the German culture and also get fluent faster.

8. German language grammar – how to use definite articles and possessive adjectives with main parts of the body

It’s fairly easy to use the German definite articles (der, die, das, die) when we talk about the body parts in German.

• Der Kopf – the head
• Der Arm – the arm
• Die Beine – the legs

But when referring to the parts in relation to a specific owner, possessive adjectives in German (mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, ihr) are also used before the definite articles:

• mein Kopf – my head
• deine Augen – your eyes
• seine Nase – his nose
• unsere Hände – our hands

When speaking of duplicate body parts, the plural definite article is used, even when referring to a single owner:

• Mir tun die Füße weh. – My feet hurt.
• Du wäschst dir die Hände. – You wash your hands.

So the correct use of definite articles and possessive adjectives is critical to communicate precisely about body parts in German.

9. Practice worksheet for body parts in German

Fill in the blanks with the correct body parts in German!

Do you want to practice more? It’s your lucky chance: if you click the button below, you can have a look at our Full Practice Worksheet Library!

10. Language learning for body parts in German is easier with Conversation Based Chunking

You’ve reached the end of this comprehensive guide to body parts in German!

Throughout this article, you’ve acquired a solid vocabulary of nouns, adjectives, phrases, and idioms related to the human body. From head to toe, internal organs and everything in between, you now have the linguistic tools to describe and talk about the body fluently.

An excellent way to practice this new knowledge is through Conversation Based Chunking. This method focuses on actively practicing the use of the new words and phrases in real or simulated conversations. If you naturally include the body part terms in your everyday speech, you will be “chaining” or linking them to relevant situations and contexts.

So don’t be afraid to start talking about your body, your symptoms or complimenting someone else’s physical features – the more you practice this vocabulary in authentic conversations, the stronger your comprehension and fluency will become!