Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Christ | /kʁɪst/ | masculine |
| Christin | /ˈkʁɪstɪn/ | feminine |
The noun refers to a person belonging to the Christian religion. If you wish to describe something as being of, like or relating to Christianity (such as 'Christian values'), use the adjective christlich.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form Christ is used for male members of the religion, while the feminine form Christin refers specifically to a female member. Note that Christian is a separate word used as a male given name rather than a noun for a religion member.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The term follows standard German noun gender: Christ is masculine and Christin is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʁɪst/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the name Christian as the noun for a male Christian in German. In German, Christian is a proper name, while Christ is the correct noun for a member of the religion.
Did you know?
- While Christ means a member of the faith, German uses the separate word Messias to refer to the Messiah, both of which share the same ancient root meaning 'anointed'.
- The adjective christlich is used for concepts like 'Christian values', but it can also be used to describe a 'Christian' style of behavior that is modest or humble, regardless of strict dogma.
- The word Christ in German can sometimes be used in the phrase ein guter Christ, which often implies not just faith but a specific social commitment to charity and community.
Examples in context
- Sein Sohn ist Christ.His son is a Christian.This sentence uses Christ to identify a son as a member of the religion.Tatoeba #11453594 by Vortarulo, translation #10160121 by ddnktr
- Barack Obama ist Christ.Barack Obama is a Christian.This sentence uses Christ to identify Barack Obama as a member of the religion.Tatoeba #1986330 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1883014 by Spamster
- Ich möchte Christ werden.I would like to become a Christian.This sentence uses Christ to express a desire to become a member of the religion.Tatoeba #10160554 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10160126 by ddnktr
- Es gibt viele Christen in Deutschland.There are many Christians in Germany.
- Die christliche Gemeinschaft ist sehr aktiv.The Christian community is very active.
- 81 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are talking about their beliefs.
- LukasBist du eigentlich Christ, Hannah?Are you actually a Christian, Hannah?
- HannahJa, ich bin Christin.Yes, I am a Christian.
- LukasIch bin selbst kein Christ.I myself am not a Christian.
- HannahDas ist völlig in Ordnung, Lukas.That is completely fine, Lukas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “christian” translations and entries Christ, Christin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
