How do you say “A bun in the oven” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is ein Kind erwarten, which literally means “to expect a child”. English speakers use a bun in the oven to mean a baby developing during pregnancy. A natural, considerate choice that leaves out the joke. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
ein Kind erwarten
/aɪn kɪnt ɛɐ̯ˈvaʁtn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to expect a child”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
86 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German can simply say someone is expecting a child. It is suitable for sharing news without making a joke about their body.
“In anderen Umständen sein” is a more indirect expression, but can sound old-fashioned. Neither option reproduces the English oven image.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone3 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
in anderen Umständen sein
Literally: “to be in other circumstances”
An indirect, somewhat old-fashioned way to say someone is pregnant.
In context
English
At dinner, Jo announced she had a bun in the oven.
German
Beim Abendessen erzählte Jo, dass sie ein Kind erwartet.
English
My sister has a bun in the oven; the baby is due in May.
German
Meine Schwester erwartet ein Kind; das Baby soll im Mai kommen.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19