Noun
der Schmetterling
Pronunciation: /ˈʃmɛtərlɪŋ/
butterfly
C1
rank #6,462
plural Schmetterlinge
Meanings
Noun
- butterfly
- any insect of the order Lepidoptera, i.e. a butterfly or moth
- butterfly (kind of stroke)
Example sentence
Haben Sie schon einmal einen violetten Schmetterling gesehen?
Have you ever seen a purple butterfly?
Word forms
singular
der Schmetterling
plural
die Schmetterlinge
The four cases
Singular
Nominativeder Schmetterling
Accusativeden Schmetterling
Dativedem Schmetterling
Genitivedes Schmetterlings
Plural
Nominativedie Schmetterlinge
Accusativedie Schmetterlinge
Dativeden Schmetterlingen
Genitiveder Schmetterlinge
Usage
- ein Schmetterling auf einer Blüte — A butterfly on a flower; the location uses the dative.
- Schmetterlinge im Bauch haben — An idiom for having butterflies, often when falling in love or feeling excited.
Ein Schmetterling landete auf der Blüte vor unserem Fenster.
A butterfly landed on the flower outside our window.