der Fisch
fish
A vertebrate animal that lives in water, breathes through gills, and moves with fins.
EXAMPLE
Im Teich schwimmt ein großer, bunter Fisch.
A large, colorful fish is swimming in the pond.
der Fisch
fish
der Fisch, die Fische
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Meanings
der Fisch
fish
The flesh of fish used as food.
EXAMPLE
Freitags essen wir traditionell Fisch mit Kartoffeln.
On Fridays, we traditionally eat fish with potatoes.
der Fisch
Pisces
A person who was born under the zodiac sign Pisces.
EXAMPLE
Mein Bruder ist Fisch und gilt als sehr sensibel.
My brother is a Pisces and is considered very sensitive.
weder Fisch noch Fleisch
neither fish nor fowl
An idiom that describes something or someone as undecided, unclear, or not clearly classifiable.
EXAMPLE
Sein Vorschlag war weder Fisch noch Fleisch und hat niemanden überzeugt.
His proposal was neither fish nor fowl and convinced no one.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Fisch, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Fische |
| genitive | des Fischs |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Fisch | die Fische |
| accusative | den Fisch | die Fische |
| dative | dem Fisch | den Fischen |
| genitive | des Fischs des Fisches | der Fische |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Context clue: animal vs. food
When 'Fisch' means the food, it is often used like an uncountable noun without an article. When talking about the animal, you usually use an article and the plural 'Fische' (fish).
EXAMPLE
Ich esse nicht gern Fisch.
I don't like eating fish.
Die Fische im Aquarium sind sehr bunt.
The fish in the aquarium are very colorful.
Typical collocations (animal)
When referring to the animal, typical verbs are 'einen Fisch fangen' (to catch a fish), 'Fische angeln' (to fish for fish), or 'Fische füttern' (to feed fish). Fish 'schwimmen' (swim) in water.
EXAMPLE
Am See kann man gut Fische angeln.
You can fish well at the lake.
Typical collocations (food)
As a food, 'Fisch' is often combined with verbs of preparation: 'Fisch braten' (to fry fish), 'kochen' (to cook/boil), 'grillen' (to grill), or 'räuchern' (to smoke). Adjectives include 'frischer' (fresh) or 'gebratener' (fried) fish.
EXAMPLE
Möchtest du den Fisch lieber gebraten oder gedünstet?
Would you prefer the fish fried or steamed?
Use as a zodiac sign
When a person was born under the zodiac sign Pisces, you can say: 'Er ist Fisch' (He is a Pisces) or 'Sie ist Fisch' (She is a Pisces). This is a common short form.
EXAMPLE
Meine beste Freundin ist Fisch und sehr kreativ.
My best friend is a Pisces and very creative.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'weder Fisch noch Fleisch' (neither fish nor fowl) describes something that is unclear, undecided, or not clearly defined. It is often used for compromises or unclear concepts.
EXAMPLE
Das neue Gesetz ist weder Fisch noch Fleisch; es hilft niemandem wirklich.
The new law is neither fish nor fowl; it doesn't really help anyone.
In real life
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