die Stube, -n
parlor
Ein kleiner, gemütlicher Raum in einer Wohnung oder einem Haus, in dem man sich aufhält und ausruht.
Definition & meaning
Stube is a feminine German noun. Its plural is Stuben.
It has several related meanings:
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A living room or sitting room
In many regions, especially southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, Stube means a comfortable room where people live, sit, and spend time together. In standard modern German, Wohnzimmer is more common.- Wir sitzen abends in der Stube. — “We sit in the living room in the evenings.”
-
A traditional or rustic room
It can refer to a traditionally furnished room in a farmhouse, inn, or mountain hut, often with wood paneling and a stove.- Die Bauernstube ist mit alten Möbeln eingerichtet. — “The farmhouse room is furnished with old furniture.”
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Historically: a heated room
In older German usage, a Stube was specifically a room that could be heated, in contrast to unheated rooms or storage areas. The word may therefore appear in historical or literary contexts.
In some contexts, Stube can also mean a communal room or dining room, for example in a mountain hut or traditional restaurant.
Grammar & word origin
- Gender: feminine
- Article: die Stube
- Plural: die Stuben
- Pronunciation: approximately SHTOO-buh
The word comes from Old High German stuba, meaning a heated room. It is related to Latin extufa or extuba, referring to a steam bath or heated room. Historically, the meaning developed from “heated room” to “main living room.”
The word is also found in compounds such as Wohnstube , Bauernstube , and Gaststube .
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- Wohnzimmer — the standard modern word for “living room”; more neutral and widely used than Stube.
- Zimmer — means “room” in general and is therefore broader and less specific.
- Wohnraum — “living space” or “living area”; more formal and less focused on one particular room.
- Salon — “salon” or “parlor”; often sounds more elegant, formal, or old-fashioned.
There is no exact antonym for Stube. Depending on the intended contrast, one might use:
- draußen — “outside,” as opposed to being inside a room.
- Freien — as in im Freien , meaning “outdoors.”
Common phrases & collocations
- die gute Stube — literally “the good room”; traditionally the best or most presentable room in a home.
- in der guten Stube — in the formal or best room of the house.
- Bauernstube — a traditional farmhouse room.
- Gaststube — the dining or common room of an inn or restaurant.
- Stubenhocker — literally “someone who sits in the room”; a person who rarely goes outside.
- Stubenhocker sein — to be a stay-at-home person or homebody.
- Stubenwagen — a small baby carriage traditionally used indoors.
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Examples
In der Stube gibt es einen Kamin.noun
In the parlor there is a fireplace.
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