fætter
/fɛtər/common gender, masculine
In Danish, the English word cousin is translated as fætter or kusine depending on the gender of the relative.
Meaning: child of a person’s parent’s brother or sister (noun)
Ways to say it
| Danish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fætter | /fɛtər/ | common gender, masculine |
| kusine | /kusiːnə/ | common gender, feminine |
Both terms refer to the child of a person's parent's brother or sister.
Which one should you use?
Danish uses different words for cousins based on the gender of the person: fætter refers to a male cousin and kusine refers to a female cousin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word Søskenbarn is used in some Danish regions to mean cousin.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of fætter is fætre, while the plural form of kusine is kusiner.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛtər/
Did you know?
- The feminine form kusine entered the Danish language through a French influence, rather than through Germanic roots like the masculine form.
- The term søskenbarn literally translates to 'sibling-child', emphasizing the bond between the parents' siblings.
Examples in context
- Tom er min fætter.Tom is my cousin.This sentence shows how to identify a male cousin using fætter.Tatoeba #7213983 by danepo, translation #2273297 by CK
- Er han din fætter?Is he your cousin?This sentence is useful for asking a question about a male cousin using fætter.Tatoeba #11948970 by danepo, translation #11948964 by sundown
- Hun er min kusine.She's my cousin.This sentence demonstrates how to identify a female cousin using kusine.Tatoeba #12126334 by danepo, translation #12125884 by shekitten
- Hej, kusine!Hi, cousin!
- Hej, fætter! Hvordan har du det?Hi, cousin! How are you?
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Mads are looking at old family photos.
- EmmaHvem er den lille dreng her?Who is this little boy here?
- MadsDet er min fætter, Jonas.That is my cousin, Jonas.
- EmmaLigner han dig meget?Does he look like you a lot?
- MadsJa, vi minder meget om hinanden.Yes, we are very similar.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cousin” translations and entries fætter, kusine, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fætter, kusine, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
