As
The German word for the English phrase "ace" (meaning an expert) is As.
Meaning: expert (noun)
Which one should you use?
While As is the standard term, other words can be used depending on the context. In card games or sports, Ass is a common informal way to refer to an ace. If you want to emphasize someone's exceptional abilities, you might use the informal term Crack. To describe someone who is a master or expert in a specific field, you can use the informal term Guru.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun As is neuter, meaning it uses the article das (e.g., das As). The plural form of As is Äs.
Did you know?
- The German word As is a doublet, meaning it entered the language twice from different sources. One version came directly from Latin as and the other arrived via French.
- The word As can be used to describe a top performer in almost any field, but in aviation, the term Fliegerass specifically evokes the legendary fighter pilots of World War I.
- In some contexts, German speakers use the word Ass with a double 's' instead of the standard As.
Examples in context
- Ich zog ein As.I drew an ace.This sentence shows the use of As when drawing a card.Tatoeba #11999065 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3965668 by krofna
- Ich habe ein As im Ärmel.I have an ace up my sleeve.This sentence uses As in the idiom of having an ace up one's sleeve.Tatoeba #9176918 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2948345 by AlanF_US
- In Mathematik ist er ein As.In mathematics, he is an ace.This sentence demonstrates using As to describe someone's expertise in a subject.Tatoeba #12440961 by Waldelfe, translation #2122322 by freddy1
- Der Könner meiner Klasse wurde mit einem Stipendium ausgezeichnet.The ace of my class was awarded a scholarship.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are talking about their new coworker.
- MaximilianHast du den neuen Kollegen schon getroffen?Have you met the new colleague yet?
- JuliaJa, er ist ein echtes As in Programmierung.Yes, he is a real ace at programming.
- MaximilianDas hilft uns sicher sehr bei diesem Projekt.That will surely help us a lot with this project.
- JuliaAuf jeden Fall, wir haben Glück mit ihm.Definitely, we are lucky to have him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry As, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries As, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
