Künstler
/ˈkʏnstlɐ/masculine
In German, the word for artist is Künstler. Wiktionary also lists Künstlerin and "painter": Maler.
Meaning: person who creates art (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Künstler | /ˈkʏnstlɐ/ | masculine |
| Künstlerin | /ˈkʏnstləʁɪn/ | feminine |
| "painter": Maler | masculine |
The term is used to describe a person who creates art.
Which one should you use?
While Künstler is the general term for any artist, Maler specifically refers to a painter.
How does it change in a sentence?
German uses gender-specific nouns, so you must use Künstlerin to specify that the artist is female. The masculine noun Künstler stays the same in its plural form, while the plural of the feminine noun Künstlerin is Künstlerinnen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkʏnstlɐ/
Did you know?
- In German, calling someone a Künstler can be a sarcastic way to describe someone who is behaving in an eccentric or overly dramatic manner.
- The word Kunst is related to the English word 'cunning', as both originally described a type of specialized knowledge or skill.
- The word Kunst comes from a root meaning 'skill' or 'knowledge', relating it more to 'craftsmanship' than the modern English romantic idea of 'art'.
Examples in context
- Ich bin ein Künstler.I am an artist.This sentence shows how to state your own profession using Künstler.Tatoeba #1140554 by Esperantostern, translation #1122648 by CM
- Du bist ein Künstler.You're an artist.This sentence shows how to address someone else as an artist using Künstler.Tatoeba #3096808 by Manfredo, translation #2549177 by CK
- Ich bin kein Künstler.I'm not an artist.This sentence shows how to use the negative form with Künstler.Tatoeba #2911673 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2549057 by CK
- Der Künstler präsentiert seine neueste Kunstausstellung.The artist presents his latest art exhibition.
- Die Künstlerin hat den renommierten Kunstpreis gewonnen.The female artist has won the prestigious art award.
- Der Maler hat ein beeindruckendes Porträt gemalt.The painter has painted an impressive portrait.
- Diese Künstlerin malt wunderschöne Landschaftsbilder.This artist paints beautiful landscape pictures.
- 177 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are looking at a painting in a gallery.
- LukasIst dieser Künstler bekannt?Is this artist well-known?
- SarahJa, er ist ein sehr guter Künstler.Yes, he is a very good artist.
- LukasSarah, findest du seine Kunst schön?Sarah, do you find his art beautiful?
- SarahJa, Lukas, ich liebe sein Werk.Yes, Lukas, I love his work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “artist” translations and entries Künstler, Künstlerin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
