German · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Lightning" in German: Blitz
der Blitz
Lightning in German is der Blitz. Say Ein Blitz hat den Baum getroffen. Thunder is der Donner; the flash is der Blitz.
Window watching
Da! Ein Blitz über dem See.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Blitz
Say it
BLITS
/blɪt͡s/
BLITS. Short i; final tz sharp.
"Lightning" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Blitz | lightning / flash Core noun. | Core noun. |
| Blitze | lightning flashes Plural. | Plural. |
| Blitz und Donner | lightning and thunder Pair phrase. | Pair phrase. |
| es blitzt | there's lightning Weather verb. | Weather verb. |
How to use Blitz in real life
- 1Window watching
Da! Ein Blitz über dem See.
There! Lightning over the lake.
Ein Blitz.
- 2Safety talk
Bei Blitz gehen wir vom Hügel runter.
With lightning we leave the hill.
Bei Blitz.
- 3Photo metaphor
Der Blitz der Kamera blendet kurz.
The camera flash blinds briefly.
Blitz also means flash.
Mistakes English speakers make with Blitz
Incorrect: die Blitz
Correct: der Blitz
Blitz is masculine: der Blitz.
Incorrect: der Donner (for the flash)
Correct: der Blitz
Donner is thunder; Blitz is lightning.
Good to know
Forecasts warn of Gewitter with Blitzgefahr. Hikers leave ridges when Blitze start. Camera Blitz is the same word — context tells weather flash from photo flash.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Closing the balcony door in a storm
ChatPal
Siehst du den Blitz dort links?
Do you see the lightning there on the left?
You
Ja. Nach dem Blitz kommt der Donner.
Yes. After the lightning comes the thunder.
ChatPal
Dann rein. Bei Blitz bleibt der Balkon leer.
Then inside. With lightning the balcony stays empty.
You
Einverstanden — kein Selfie im Blitz.
Agreed — no selfie in the lightning.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Lightning" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Lightning" in German
How do you say lightning?
Der Blitz.
There's lightning?
Es blitzt.
Lightning vs thunder?
Blitz = lightning; Donner = thunder.
Camera flash?
Also der Blitz.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
