Aubergine

aubergine, eggplant

noun oh-ber-ZHEE-ne Rare

Origin: from French aubergine, ultimately from Arabic al-badinjan

Usage Note

Aubergine is the standard German term for what Americans call eggplant. It is feminine: die Aubergine. Common in Mediterranean-influenced German cooking and supermarkets.

Examples

"Für das Moussaka brauchen wir zwei große Auberginen."

Natural Translation

We need two large aubergines for the moussaka.

Literal Translation

For the moussaka we need two large aubergines.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Modal Verbs: Können, Müssen, Wollen and More

German modal verbs put the modal in position 2 and the real verb at the end. Master können, müssen, wollen and the rest with charts and clear examples.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Word Order: The Verb Rules That Trip You Up

German word order comes down to three verb-position rules: the verb is second in main clauses, last after weil and dass, and time comes before place.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Du vs. Sie: When to Use Each in German

Use Sie with strangers, elders, and at work; use du with friends, family, kids, and peers. Here's how to pick the right German you every time.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Umlauts & ß: Sounds and Typing

Pronounce ä, ö, ü with the front-tongue, rounded-lips rule, master the ß vs ss spelling, and type every German umlaut on Mac, Windows, and phone.

June 5, 2026 6 min read