Fahrer
/ˈfaːʁɐ/masculine
The German word for driver is Fahrer.
Fahrer refers to a person who drives a motorized vehicle, such as a car or a bus.
Meaning: person who drives a motorized vehicle, such as a car or a bus (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun Fahrer is derived from the verb fahren, which means to drive or to travel by vehicle.
Which one should you use?
While Fahrer is the standard term, you might use Rennfahrer specifically for a race car driver.
How does it change in a sentence?
Fahrer is the masculine form and also functions as the plural form for drivers. If you are referring specifically to a female driver, use the feminine form Fahrerin.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfaːʁɐ/
Did you know?
- German has a specific word Beifahrer for the passenger in the front seat, literally meaning 'co-driver' or 'side-driver'.
- In German, a 'driver's license' is called a Führerschein, which literally translates to 'leadership certificate'.
- In certain contexts, Fahrer can refer to an elevator operator, reflecting a time when elevators required a human to 'drive' them to specific floors.
Examples in context
- Ich bin Toms Fahrer.I'm Tom's driver.This sentence is useful for identifying oneself as a driver using Fahrer.Tatoeba #6619588 by Felixjp, translation #2235786 by CK
- Der Fahrer ist Okay.The driver is OK.Tatoeba #7836400 by bonny37, translation #5758108 by CM
- Er ist ein guter Fahrer.He's a good driver.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone is a good driver using Fahrer.Tatoeba #10305572 by Yorwba, translation #3658408 by AlanF_US
- Der Fahrer wartet vor dem HotelThe driver is waiting in front of the hotel
- Es ist wichtig, dass sich alle Kraftfahrzeugführer an die Verkehrsregeln haltenIt is important for all drivers to adhere to the traffic rules
- Der Chauffeur öffnete die Tür für die PassagiereThe chauffeur opened the door for the passengers
- Die Fahrgäste begrüßten den Fahrer des BussesThe passengers greeted the bus driver
- Die Fahrerin wartete geduldig vor dem TorThe female driver patiently waited in front of the gate
- Der Taxifahrer lenkte das Auto gekonnt durch den dichten VerkehrThe taxi driver skillfully maneuvered the car through the heavy traffic
- 164 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are waiting at a bus stop.
- JuliaWo ist der Fahrer?Where is the driver?
- MaximilianDer Fahrer kommt gleich.The driver is coming soon.
- JuliaHoffentlich ist er schnell.Hopefully he is fast.
- MaximilianJa, er ist ein sehr guter Fahrer.Yes, he is a very good driver.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “driver” translations and entries Fahrer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
