German Water Sports & Swimming Vocabulary
This set covers everything you need for a day at the pool or beach in German: der Badeanzug and die Badehose for what you wear, schwimmen and tauchen for what you do in the water, and der Rettungsschwimmer for the person watching you do it. One trap here: der Bademeister and der Rettungsschwimmer both get translated as "lifeguard," but a Bademeister runs the pool (checks tickets, keeps order) while a Rettungsschwimmer is trained specifically in water rescue, sometimes the same person, sometimes not.
Learn these 20 words
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All 20 words
plural: die Badeanzüge
swimsuit
Sie trägt einen roten Badeanzug. — She is wearing a red swimsuit.
plural: die Badehosen
swim trunks
Er packt seine Badehose für den Strand. — He is packing his swim trunks for the beach.
- badenA1
bathe/swim
Ich bade nicht so gern, ich dusche lieber. — I don't like bathing much, I prefer showering.
plural: die Pools
pool
Der Pool im Hotel ist sehr groß. — The pool at the hotel is very big.
plural: die Schwimmbäder
swimming pool
Kommst du mit ins Schwimmbad? — Are you coming with me to the swimming pool?
to swim
Ich schwimme jeden Tag einen Kilometer. — I swim one kilometre every day.
- tauchenA1
to dive
Wir tauchen gern im klaren Meer. — We like to dive in the clear sea.
plural: die Bademeister
lifeguard
Der Bademeister beobachtet die Schwimmer im Pool. — The lifeguard watches the swimmers in the pool.
plural: die Rettungsringe
life ring
Der Bademeister wirft den Rettungsring ins Wasser. — The lifeguard throws the life ring into the water.
- rudernA2
to row
Am Wochenende rudern wir auf dem See. — On weekends we row on the lake.
plural: die Schwimmbrillen
swimming goggles
Ohne Schwimmbrille tut das Wasser weh. — Without goggles the water hurts.
plural: die Schwimmwesten
life jacket
Kinder tragen beim Rudern eine Schwimmweste. — Children wear a life jacket while rowing.
sunscreen
Vergiss nicht die Sonnencreme am Strand. — Don't forget the sunscreen at the beach.
plural: die Surfbretter
surfboard
Er trägt sein Surfbrett zum Strand. — He carries his surfboard to the beach.
- surfenA2
surf
Ich möchte gern surfen lernen. — I would like to learn to surf.
plural: die Wellen
wave
Die Welle war zu hoch zum Surfen. — The wave was too high for surfing.
plural: die Rettungsschwimmer
lifeguard
Der Rettungsschwimmer beobachtet die Schwimmer genau. — The lifeguard watches the swimmers closely.
plural: die Ruderboote
rowboat
Sie fahren mit dem Ruderboot über den See. — They cross the lake in the rowboat.
plural: die Sprungtürme
diving tower
Mutige Kinder springen vom hohen Sprungturm. — Brave children jump from the high diving tower.
- bobbenB2
to bob (up and down)
Die Bojen bobben auf dem Wasser. — The buoys bob on the water.
How to learn this set
Notice how many words here are built from Bad or Schwimm: das Schwimmbad, die Schwimmbrille, die Schwimmweste, der Bademeister. Once you know Bad = "bath/swim" and Schwimm = "swim," you can guess the gender pattern too, since compounds take the gender of their last part (die Brille makes die Schwimmbrille, die Weste makes die Schwimmweste). Drill der Badeanzug and die Badehose as a pair since English speakers often mix up which one is "trunks" versus "swimsuit," and keep tauchen and rudern separate from schwimmen since all three describe distinct actions in the water rather than variations on "swim."
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between der Bademeister and der Rettungsschwimmer?
Der Bademeister manages the pool facility itself, like checking tickets and enforcing rules. Der Rettungsschwimmer is trained in water rescue and watches swimmers for danger. In small pools one person can be both.
Is der Badeanzug for men or women?
Der Badeanzug is a one-piece swimsuit, typically worn by women or in competitive swimming. Die Badehose refers to swim trunks or shorts, typically worn by men.
What does bobben mean in German?
Bobben means to bob up and down in water, like a buoy or someone floating gently. It's more casual and less common than schwimmen, so you'll mostly hear it describing kids playing in a pool.
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