Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Großbuchstabe | /ˈɡʁoːsbuːxˌʃtaːbə/ | masculine |
| Majuskel | feminine | |
| Kapitalbuchstabe | masculine | |
| Versal | [vɛʁˈzaːl] (narrow) | masculine |
| Versalbuchstabe | masculine | |
| Versalie | feminine |
In German, the first word of a sentence is always capitalized, including after a question mark. German speakers sometimes capitalize nouns for emphasis, as in EIS. The opposite of a Großbuchstabe is a Kleinbuchstabe (lowercase letter).
What does it mean word for word?
The word Großbuchstabe is a compound of 'groß' (large/big) and 'Buchstabe' (letter).
Which one should you use?
Großbuchstabe is the standard, everyday term, whereas Majuskel or Versal are technical terms used in typography or linguistics.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The most common formal term for capital letter in German is Großbuchstabe. Majuskel is a formal, technical term used in professional typography and linguistics.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a direct object in the accusative case, Großbuchstabe takes the ending -en, as seen in 'mit einem Großbuchstaben'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡʁoːsbuːxˌʃtaːbə/
Did you know?
- In German, the word Buchstabe ('letter') is derived from the Old High German word for a 'beech-tree' stave, referring to the wooden sticks used for early runic writing.
- The technical term Versal comes from the word for 'verse', referring to the practice of using large letters to mark the beginning of a line of poetry.
- In German, the word Buchstabe can also mean 'character' or 'symbol' in a mathematical or logical sense, not just a letter of the alphabet.
Examples in context
- Die Sätze beginnen mit einem Großbuchstaben.Sentences begin with a capital letter.This sentence is useful for showing that sentences begin with a Großbuchstabe.Tatoeba #1456882 by Esperantostern, translation #320027 by CK
- Dieses Wort beginnt mit einem Großbuchstaben.This word starts with a capital letter.This sentence is useful for showing that a word starts with a Großbuchstabe.Tatoeba #12223346 by mhr, translation #12223283 by Miktsoanit
- Am Satzanfang wird ein Großbuchstabe verwendet.The beginning of a sentence starts with a capital letter.This sentence is useful for showing that a Großbuchstabe is used at the beginning of a sentence.Tatoeba #1308465 by Esperantostern, translation #2503305 by Dejo
- Bitte schreiben Sie Ihren Namen mit Großbuchstaben.Please write your name using capital letters.
- Um besser lesbar zu sein, schreibe bitte in Versalschrift.To be more legible, please write in capital letters.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Lukas are looking at a handwritten note.
- JuliaIst das hier ein Großbuchstabe?Is this a capital letter?
- LukasNein, das ist ein kleiner Buchstabe.No, that is a small letter.
- JuliaLukas, kannst du bitte einen Großbuchstaben schreiben?Lukas, can you please write a capital letter?
- LukasNatürlich, ich mache das sofort.Of course, I will do that immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “capital letter” translations and entries Großbuchstabe, Majuskel, Versal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Großbuchstabe, Majuskel, Versal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
