In German
malen
Meaning: to paint (a picture)
Example sentences
IchmalejedenTageinBild.
I paint a picture every day.
MeineTochtermaltgernmitWasserfarben.
My daughter likes painting with watercolors.
Ermalt,abererstreichtdieWandnicht.
He paints, but he doesn't paint the wall.
Grammar note
“Malen” is a regular weak verb: “ich male, du malst, er malt”. German actually has two different words where English uses one: “malen” is to paint art (a picture, a portrait), while “streichen” is to paint a surface (a wall, a fence, a house).
Common mistake
Don't say “die Wand malen” for painting a wall — Germans use “streichen” for that and reserve “malen” for painting pictures. Mixing them up is one of the most common searched confusions for English speakers learning this word.
Quick check
Which German word means “to paint” (a picture)?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
What's the word for painting a wall instead of a picture?
“Streichen” — Germans use a different verb for painting surfaces like walls, fences, or houses.
How is “malen” conjugated?
“Ich male, du malst, er/sie/es malt, wir malen, ihr malt, sie malen” — a regular weak verb.