Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | /kɪnt/ | neuter |
| kind | /kɪnt/ | |
| kindl | ||
| Chind | Alemannic German, neuter |
Kind is used to refer to a son, a daughter or someone's offspring. In informal situations, German speakers frequently use the English loanwords Kid or Kids to refer to children.
Which one should you use?
While Kind is the standard form, you may encounter the variations kindl or kind in different contexts and the form Chind is specific to Alemannic German. Kind and Chind are neuter.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form Chind is used in Alemannic German. The colloquial terms Bubi and Bub are also used in specific regions of Germany and Austria to address boys.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a neuter noun, the definite article for Kind is das Kind in the nominative and accusative cases. The dative singular form is dem Kind, and the genitive singular form is Kindes. To express the plural, use Kinder.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɪnt/
Did you know?
- The German adjective kindlich describes things that are child-like in a positive or neutral way. However, kindisch describes someone who is being childish or immature.
- The word Kind shares the same ancient root as the English word 'kin' and 'kindred'. Both terms originate from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'to give birth'.
- While Kind is the standard neuter term, the word Kindchen is often used as a diminutive to describe something small, cute, or precious, even if it is not a human child.
Examples in context
- Hast du ein Kind?Do you have a child?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has a child using Kind.Tatoeba #880778 by Esperantostern, translation #852857 by piksea
- Ich bin ein Kind.I'm a child.This sentence is useful for stating that you are a child using Kind.Tatoeba #3321292 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3313490 by CM
- Tom hat ein Kind.Tom has one child.This sentence is useful for saying that Tom has one child using Kind.Tatoeba #3518476 by DenO, translation #4493736 by CK
- Mein Kind geht in die Schule.My child goes to school.
- Die Kinder spielen im Park.The children are playing in the park.
- Die Kids gehen zum Spielplatz.The kids are going to the playground.
- Die beiden Kinder spielen zusammen.The two kids are playing together.
- 953 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are talking about their families.
- JulianSarah, ist dein Kind schon in der Schule?Sarah, is your child already in school?
- SarahJa, mein Kind geht seit September dorthin.Yes, my child has been going there since September.
- JulianDas ist schön. Ich möchte auch bald ein Kind.That's nice. I also want a child soon.
- SarahDas wird sicher eine tolle Erfahrung für dich sein.That will surely be a great experience for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “child” translations and entries Kind, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry Kind.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kind, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
