alemán
/aleˈman/
The English phrase 'alemanian' is translated into Spanish as alemán.
The term is used to refer to a person from Germany or to the German language itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective or noun changes gender to alemán (masculine) or alemana (feminine) to match the person or object being described. The plural form for a group of men or a mixed-gender group is alemanes. The plural form for a group of only women is alemanas.
How do you pronounce it?
/aleˈman/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, calling someone an alemán can be a slang way to describe someone who is very rigid, disciplined, or overly serious.
- The word alemán actually comes from the names of a specific Germanic tribe, the Alemanni, rather than a description of the German people as a whole.
- In Spanish, the word alemán is not capitalized when used as an adjective or when referring to the language, unlike the English word 'German'.
Examples in context
- Él es alemán.He is German.
- Estoy aprendiendo alemán.I am learning German.
- El profesor es alemán.The teacher is German.
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking about a new colleague at work.
- Daniel¿Es alemán el nuevo compañero?Is the new colleague German?
- MaríaSí, él es alemán.Yes, he is German.
- DanielQué bien, habla un alemán perfecto.That's great, he speaks perfect German.
- MaríaEs muy inteligente.He is very intelligent.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry alemán, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alemán, CC BY-SA 4.0.
