Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kanadier | /kaˈnaːdi̯ɐ/ | masculine |
| Kanadierin | /kaˈnaːdiɐʁɪn/ | feminine |
In German, you use the nouns Kanadier and Kanadierin to refer to a person from Canada. If you wish to describe something as being of or pertaining to Canada, such as a Canadian forest or Canadian culture, you use the adjective kanadisch.
Which one should you use?
Use the capitalized nouns Kanadier (masculine) or Kanadierin (feminine) when referring to a person. In contrast, use the lowercase adjective kanadisch when describing things or qualities.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, the terms Kanadier and Kanadierin are commonly used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine noun Kanadier stays the same in its plural form when referring to a group of Canadians (masculine or mixed). For female Canadians, the plural form is Kanadierinnen.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaˈnaːdi̯ɐ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly capitalize the adjective kanadisch. However, in German, adjectives are only capitalized if they are at the start of a sentence or part of a proper name.
Did you know?
- The suffix -ier used in Kanadier is a common pattern for words borrowed from French to denote a person's nationality or profession.
- While kanadisch describes the people or things, the German word Kanada follows the common pattern of treating most country names as neuter nouns without an article.
- The feminine form Kanadierin uses the suffix -in, a productive marker in German used to create female versions of almost all professional and national titles.
Examples in context
- Ich bin kein Kanadier.I am not Canadian.This sentence is useful for practicing the negation of the noun Kanadier.Tatoeba #1422549 by al_ex_an_der, translation #1098217 by cntrational
- Tom ist kein Kanadier.Tom isn't Canadian.Tatoeba #4732326 by bonny37, translation #2236943 by CK
- Du bist kein Kanadier.You're not Canadian.Tatoeba #5331561 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2218233 by CK
- Mein Freund ist Kanadier.My friend is Canadian.
- Meine neuen Nachbarn sind Kanadier.My new neighbors are Canadian.
- Mein sympathischer kanadischer Kollege heißt Mark.My friendly Canadian colleague's name is Mark.
- 331 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are talking about a new coworker.
- FelixWer ist der neue Kollege?Who is the new colleague?
- HannahEr ist ein Kanadier.He is a Canadian.
- FelixKommt der Kanadier aus Toronto?Does the Canadian come from Toronto?
- HannahJa, er kommt aus Toronto.Yes, he comes from Toronto.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “canadian” translations and entries Kanadier, Kanadierin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kanadier, Kanadierin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
