Pferd

Bavarian

Etymology

From Middle High German phert, pherit, pferift (“riding horse”), from Old High German pherit, pfarifrit, parafred, from Late Latin paraverēdus (originally “substitute post horse”). Largely displaced the native word Ross, except in compounds like Rossknedl or Rossfleisch.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /b̥fɛɐ̯d̥/

Noun

Pferd n (plural Pferd, diminutive Pfertl or Pferterl)

(zoology) horse (any member of the species Equus ferus and Equus ferus caballus)

Synonyms

Ross

German

ein ostfriesisches Pferd — an East Frisian horse.

Etymology

From Middle High German phert, pherit, pferift (“riding horse”), from Old High German pherit, pfarifrit, parafred, from Late Latin paraverēdus (originally “substitute post horse”). Largely displaced the native word Ross. Compare Dutch paard and English palfrey.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /pfeːrt/, [pfeːɐ̯t] (prescriptive standard; overall rare)
IPA^(key): /feːrt/, [feːɐ̯t], [fɛɐ̯t] (common in northern and central Germany)
IPA^(key): /pfɛrt/, [pfɛrt], [pfɛɐ̯t] (common in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
audio (file)
audio (file)
Homophone: fährt (some speakers)

Noun

Pferd n (strong, genitive Pferdes or Pferds, plural Pferde, diminutive Pferdchen n or Pferdlein n or Pferdelein n or Pferdel n or Pferdl n or Pferderl n or Pferdle n or (less common) Pferdli n or Pferdschen n or Pferdche n or Pferdgen n or (less common) Pferdeken n, masculine Hengst or (if castrated) Wallach, feminine Stute)

horse
Meine Mutter hat ein Pferd und das ist sehr süß.
My mother has a horse and it is very cute.

Mein Pferd ist zu schnell.
My horse is too fast.
(chess, informal) knight
pommel horse
(slang) a woman

Declension

Declension of Pferd [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Pferd	die	Pferde
genitive	eines	des	Pferdes, Pferds	der	Pferde
dative	einem	dem	Pferd, Pferde¹	den	Pferden
accusative	ein	das	Pferd	die	Pferde