German · Home, Clothes & Daily Life

"Stairs" in German: Treppe

die Treppe

Say it: TREP-uhfeminine · die Treppenoun/ˈtʁɛpə/

Stairs in German is die Treppe. Say die Treppe hoch for up the stairs. The stairwell in a building is das Treppenhaus.

Apartment visit

Vorsicht, die Treppe ist steil.
Careful, the stairs are steep.
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How to pronounce Treppe

Say it

TREP-uh

/ˈtʁɛpə/

TREP-uh. Short e, soft final e. Feminine: die Treppe.

"Stairs" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
die Treppestairs / staircase

Main word.

die Treppe hochup the stairs

Direction.

die Treppe runterdown the stairs

Direction.

das Treppenhausstairwell

Building interior.

How to use Treppe in real life

  1. 1Apartment visit

    Vorsicht, die Treppe ist steil.

    Careful, the stairs are steep.

    Die Treppe.

  2. 2Moving boxes

    Wir tragen das Sofa die Treppe hoch.

    We're carrying the sofa up the stairs.

    Die Treppe hoch.

  3. 3Giving directions

    Nimm die Treppe links neben dem Aufzug.

    Take the stairs left of the elevator.

    Nimm die Treppe.

Mistakes English speakers make with Treppe

Incorrect: die Treppen (when one staircase meant)

Correct: die Treppe

One staircase is die Treppe; Treppen is plural staircases/steps in some uses.

Incorrect: der Treppe

Correct: die Treppe

Treppe is feminine.

Good to know

Many older German buildings have no elevator, so die Treppe is daily exercise. Treppenhaus chats with neighbors are a classic small-talk scene.

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Finding the right floor

  1. ChatPal

    Aufzug kaputt. Nehmen wir die Treppe?

    Elevator broken. Shall we take the stairs?

  2. You

    Ja. Die Treppe zum dritten Stock.

    Yes. The stairs to the third floor.

  3. ChatPal

    Langsam. Die Treppe ist eng.

    Slowly. The stairs are narrow.

  4. You

    Okay. Ich halte mich an der Treppe fest.

    Okay. I'll hold onto the stairs.

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"Stairs" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Stairs" in German

Gender?

Feminine: die Treppe.

Up the stairs?

Die Treppe hoch.

Stairwell?

Das Treppenhaus.

Step (single)?

Die Stufe.

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