Geschwister
/ɡəˈʃvɪstər/
The English phrase 'brother and sister' can be translated into German as Geschwister.
Geschwister is used to refer to people who share the same parents.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers might use 'brother and sister' to refer to a mixed-gender pair, German uses the single collective noun Geschwister to cover any combination of brothers and sisters.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈʃvɪstər/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often attempt to use Bruder und Schwester to mean 'siblings', but this specifically refers to a single brother and a single sister rather than the general concept of being siblings.
Did you know?
- If you want to refer to a group of brothers and sisters in a very informal, colloquial way, you might hear the word Siblings used by younger generations, borrowed directly from English.
- The term Geschwister actually shares an ancient root with the word for 'sister', making the collective noun for all siblings essentially a variation of the word for a female sibling.
- The prefix ge- used in Geschwister is a common feature in German to denote a group or collection, such as in Gebirge for 'mountains'.
Examples in context
- Seid Tom und du Geschwister?Are you and Tom brother and sister?This sentence is useful for asking if two specific people are Geschwister.Tatoeba #10212761 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10209054 by CK
- Ich wusste nicht, dass Wilhelm und Tamara Geschwister sind.I didn't know Guillermo and Tamara were brother and sister.This sentence is useful for expressing that you did not know two people were Geschwister.Tatoeba #13803289 by brauchinet, translation #1334506 by AlanF_US
- Seid ihr Geschwister?Are you brother and sister?This sentence is useful for asking a group if they are Geschwister.Tatoeba #12081684 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #12081499 by CK
- Meine Schwester ist Ärztin.My sister is a doctor.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Laura are talking about their families.
- FelixHast du eigentlich Geschwister?Do you actually have any siblings?
- LauraJa, ich habe einen Bruder und eine Schwester.Yes, I have a brother and a sister.
- FelixDas ist schön, ich bin Einzelkind.That's nice, I am an only child.
- LauraDann bist du die einzigen Geschwister in deiner Familie.Then you are the only siblings in your family.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Geschwister, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Geschwister, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
