“Voll und Leer” — Full and Empty Song in German for Kids
In “Voll und Leer” (Full and Empty), kids sing key German words like voll, leer, offen and zu, going back and forth between English and German, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a early-learner (A1) song from Unit 23: Opposites, 2:47 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇩🇪 German
- Level: A1
- Unit 23 · Gegenteile
- ⏱ 2:47
- 🔒 Premium
Listen
🔒 “Voll und Leer” is a Premium song
The lyrics and translation are free to read below. To play the song, start a 7-day free trial: it unlocks all 134 songs in every language. Cancel anytime.
“Voll und Leer” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. German is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Full cup! | Die Tasse ist voll! |
| Die Tasse ist voll! | Full cup! |
| The cup is full! | Die Tasse ist voll! |
| Voll, voll, voll! | Full, full, full! |
| Empty cup! | Die Tasse ist leer! |
| Die Tasse ist leer! | Empty cup! |
| Leer, leer! | Empty, empty! |
| Empty means leer! | |
| Open door! | Die Tür ist offen! |
| Die Tür ist offen! | Open door! |
| The door is open! | Die Tür ist offen! |
| Offen, offen! | Open, open! |
| Closed door! | Die Tür ist zu! |
| Die Tür ist zu! | Closed door! |
| Closed means zu! | |
| Zu, zu, zu! | Closed, closed, closed! |
| Full is voll! | |
| Empty is leer! | |
| Open is offen! | |
| Closed is zu! | |
| Voll und leer, offen und zu, | Full and empty, open and closed, |
| Say it, sing it, me and you! | Sag es, sing es, du und ich! |
| Voll und leer, offen und zu, | Full and empty, open and closed, |
| Which word comes next? It’s up to you! | Welches Wort kommt jetzt? Du bist dran! |
| Wet hands! | Meine Hände sind nass! |
| Meine Hände sind nass! | Wet hands! |
| Dry hands! | Meine Hände sind trocken! |
| Meine Hände sind trocken! | Dry hands! |
| Clean shirt! | Das Hemd ist sauber! |
| Das Hemd ist sauber! | Clean shirt! |
| Dirty shirt! | Das Hemd ist schmutzig! |
| Das Hemd ist schmutzig! | Dirty shirt! |
| Hot soup! | Die Suppe ist heiß! |
| Die Suppe ist heiß! | Hot soup! |
| Cold ice cream! | Das Eis ist kalt! |
| Das Eis ist kalt! | Cold ice cream! |
| Heiß means hot! | |
| Kalt means cold! | |
| Let’s say them all! | Sagen wir sie alle! |
| Nass, trocken, sauber, schmutzig! | Wet, dry, clean, dirty! |
| Full is voll! | |
| Empty is leer! | |
| Open is offen! | |
| Closed is zu! | |
| Voll und leer, offen und zu, | Full and empty, open and closed, |
| Say it, sing it, me and you! | Sag es, sing es, du und ich! |
| Voll und leer, offen und zu, | Full and empty, open and closed, |
| Which word comes next? It’s up to you! | Welches Wort kommt jetzt? Du bist dran! |
| Is the cup full? | Ist die Tasse voll? |
| Ja, die Tasse ist voll! | Yes, the cup is full! |
| Is the cup empty? | Ist die Tasse leer? |
| Nein, sie ist nicht leer! | No, it isn’t empty! |
| Is the door open? | Ist die Tür offen? |
| Ja, die Tür ist offen! | Yes, the door is open! |
| Is it closed? | Ist sie zu? |
| Jetzt ist sie zu! | Now it’s closed! |
| Nass or trocken? Sauber or schmutzig? | |
| Heiß or kalt? We know the words! | |
| Full is voll! | |
| Empty is leer! | |
| Open is offen! | |
| Closed is zu! | |
| Voll und leer, offen und zu, | Full and empty, open and closed, |
| Say it, sing it, me and you! | Sag es, sing es, du und ich! |
| Wet is nass, dry is trocken, | |
| Clean is sauber, dirty schmutzig! | |
| Hot is heiß and cold is kalt, | |
| We know these words — hooray, that’s all! | Wir kennen diese Wörter — hurra, das war’s! |
Key German words in this song
The 12 words and phrases this song is built around.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| voll | full |
| leer | empty |
| offen | open |
| zu | closed |
| nass | wet |
| trocken | dry |
| sauber | clean |
| schmutzig | dirty |
| heiß | hot |
| kalt | cold |
| die Tasse ist voll | the cup is full |
| die Tür ist offen | the door is open |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Make “voll” the word of the day
This song repeats “voll” (full) on 8 lines. Use it once or twice during the day outside the song, and let your child correct you if you get it wrong.
- 2
Split the parts
Once the song is familiar, you sing the English lines and your child sings the German ones, then swap. It turns listening into speaking.
- 3
Make it a routine
At 2:47, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Make every opposite in the song with your body as it's sung.
More opposites songs in German
“Full and Empty” in other languages
The same song, written for each language we teach.
134 German songs, 32 topics, one joyful habit
Lyrics and translation on every song, progress tracking and no ads. Start with 6 free songs, no card needed.