In German
Kopf
Meaning: head
Formal or informal? “Kopf” is the everyday word for head. For “headache”, German uses the plural “Kopfschmerzen”, which is always plural.
Example sentences
IchhabeKopfschmerzen.
I have a headache.
MeinKopftutweh.
My head hurts.
ErschütteltdenKopf.
He shakes his head.
Grammar note
“Der Kopf” is masculine, so it takes “der” and “ein”. The plural is “die Köpfe”. After a verb it becomes the accusative “den Kopf”, as in “Er schüttelt den Kopf”.
Common mistake
Use “Kopfschmerzen” (plural) for headache: “Ich habe Kopfschmerzen”, not “Ich habe Kopfschmerz”. Also use “den Kopf” in the accusative.
Quick check
Which German word means “head”?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
How do you say “I have a headache” in German?
“Ich habe Kopfschmerzen”, using the plural “Kopfschmerzen”.
What is the plural of “Kopf”?
“Köpfe”, with an umlaut on the “o”.