German · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Shark" in German: Hai
der Hai
Shark in German is der Hai. The plural is die Haie. Haifisch is an older or more storybook form you still see in names and menus.
Aquarium visit
Schau, der Hai schwimmt ganz nah am Glas.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Hai
Say it
high
/haɪ̯/
high. Like English high. Masculine: der Hai.
"Shark" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Hai | the shark Standard modern word. | Standard modern word. |
| die Haie | the sharks Plural. | Plural. |
| der Haifisch | shark (older/storybook) Songs, names, some menus. | Songs, names, some menus. |
| Haiangriff | shark attack News compound. | News compound. |
How to use Hai in real life
- 1Aquarium visit
Schau, der Hai schwimmt ganz nah am Glas.
Look, the shark is swimming right by the glass.
Der Hai as subject.
- 2Documentary
Im Film jagen zwei Haie eine Robbe.
In the film two sharks hunt a seal.
Plural Haie.
- 3Beach joke
Keine Panik, hier gibt es keinen Hai.
No panic, there's no shark here.
Keinen Hai (accusative).
Mistakes English speakers make with Hai
Incorrect: das Shark
Correct: der Hai
Use Hai, not Shark.
Incorrect: die Hai
Correct: der Hai / die Haie
Singular is der Hai; plural is die Haie.
Good to know
Hai is the everyday word in zoos and news. Haifisch survives in titles like Mackie Messer's Haifisch and in Haifischflossensuppe on some menus.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
At a sea-life exhibit
ChatPal
Siehst du den Hai dort hinten?
Do you see the shark back there?
You
Ja. Der Hai ist riesig!
Yes. The shark is huge!
ChatPal
Es gibt auch kleinere Haie im Becken.
There are smaller sharks in the tank too.
You
Ich fotografiere zuerst diesen Hai.
I'll photograph this shark first.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Shark" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Shark" in German
How do you say shark?
Der Hai.
Plural?
Die Haie.
Haifisch?
Older/storybook form; Hai is the default.
Gender?
Masculine: der Hai.
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
