großer Bruder
The English phrase "big brother" is translated into German as großer Bruder.
großer Bruder is used to refer to a brother who is older than the speaker or another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective groß (big/tall) and the noun Bruder (brother).
Which one should you use?
While großer Bruder is commonly used to mean "big brother," the phrase älterer Bruder is a more precise way to specify an "older brother" in terms of age.
How does it change in a sentence?
When großer Bruder is the direct object of a sentence, the adjective ending changes to -en, as in Ich habe einen großen Bruder (I have a big brother).
Did you know?
- In German, the word Bruder is often used as a slang term for a very close friend, similar to 'bro' in English, but it is used more frequently across different social classes in urban areas.
- If you call your brother a großer Bruder, a German speaker might mistakenly think you are commenting on his height rather than his age.
- The word Bruder shares the same ancient Indo-European root as the Latin word frater, which is why English words like 'fraternal' feel so much like the German 'Bruder'.
Examples in context
- Wo ist mein großer Bruder?Where's my big brother?This example shows how to ask for the location of your großer Bruder.Tatoeba #11760682 by mhr, translation #13430227 by frpzzd
- Ali ist mein großer Bruder.Ali is my big brother.This example is used to state that Ali is your großer Bruder.Tatoeba #11822578 by mhr, translation #12978988 by araneo
- Tom ist dein großer Bruder.Tom is your big brother.This example is used to state that Tom is someone else's großer Bruder.Tatoeba #12189807 by mhr, translation #7782255 by sharris123
- Guten Abend, großer Bruder!Good evening, big brother!
- Lieber großer BruderDear big brother
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Lukas are talking about their family.
- JuliaHast du einen großen Bruder?Do you have a big brother?
- LukasJa, mein großer Bruder heißt Max.Yes, my big brother is named Max.
- JuliaIst dein großer Bruder nett?Is your big brother nice?
- LukasJa, er ist sehr nett.Yes, he is very nice.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bruder, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
