frāter
masculine
The Latin word for brother is frāter. If unsure, use frāter. Wiktionary also lists germānus.
Meaning: male sibling (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | Note |
|---|---|
| frāter | masculine |
| germānus |
The term is used to refer to a male sibling. It is a masculine noun.
Which one should you use?
While frāter is the general term for any brother, germānus specifically refers to a full brother who shares both parents.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of frāter is frātrēs. If you are indicating possession by multiple brothers, use the genitive plural form frātrum. When you want to say something is given to or done for a brother, use the dative singular form frātrī.
Did you know?
- The word germānus does not come from the country of Germany, but from the Latin germen meaning 'bud' or 'sprout'. It implies that two brothers sprouted from the same seed.
- In Roman literature, calling a close friend frāter was a common way to signal a bond of deep, non-biological loyalty.
- English words like 'fraternity' and 'fraternal' are direct descendants of frāter, even though 'brother' itself comes from a different Germanic root.
Examples in context
- Ūnus frāter mihi est.I have one brother.The sentence using frāter shows how to express having one brother.Tatoeba #10494883 by Zagreides, translation #256071 by CK
- Num frāter Thōmae es?Are you really Tom's brother?The sentence using frāter is a way to ask if someone is a specific person's brother.Tatoeba #11129149 by alexmarcelo, translation #3826007 by CK
- Frāter mē natāre docuit.My brother taught me how to swim.The sentence using frāter demonstrates a brother teaching an action.Tatoeba #11155101 by alexmarcelo, translation #8232638 by Hybrid
- Hic est consanguineus meus frater.This is my biological brother.
- Salve, fratercule!Hello, little brother!
- Gratias tibi ago, frater carissime.Thank you, dearest brother.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucius and Aurelia are talking about their families.
- LuciusHabēsne frātrem, Aurelia?Do you have a brother, Aurelia?
- AureliaHabeō, sed frāter meus in Rōmā habitat.I do, but my brother lives in Rome.
- LuciusEstne frāter tuus nātū maior quam tū?Is your brother older than you?
- AureliaIta, frāter meus maior est.Yes, my brother is older.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
