Ways to say it
| Polish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| niemiecki | /ɲɛˈmjɛt͡s.ki/ /ɲɛˈmjet͡s.ki/ (Middle, Polish) |
inanimate, masculine |
| niemczyzna | /ɲɛˈmt͡ʂɘz.na/ | feminine |
The term is used to refer to the German language. Related terms include Germanin and Germanka for a member of a Germanic tribe, and Niemiec or Niemka for a person of the German ethnic group.
Which one should you use?
While niemiecki is the standard way to refer to the language, niemczyzna is a more archaic or literary term used to describe the German language or the German culture and sphere.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form niemiecki is the masculine singular nominative form, used when the language is the subject of the sentence. The form niemieckiego is the genitive case, which is used when the language is the object of certain verbs, such as uczyć (to teach) or follows certain prepositions.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /ɲɛˈmjɛts.ki/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid confusing the name of the language with the name of a person. niemiecki refers to the language, whereas Niemiec refers to a German man.
Did you know?
- The Polish word niemiecki is derived from a root meaning 'mute'. Historically, Slavic speakers used this term for people who did not speak their language and therefore seemed unable to communicate.
- Similar to Polish, other Slavic languages like Czech and Slovenian also name the German language using words derived from the root for 'mute'.
- The word niemiecki is actually an exonym, meaning it is a name given to Germans by other people rather than a name they use for themselves.
Examples in context
- Kto cię uczy niemieckiego?Who teaches you German?This sentence is useful for asking who is teaching someone the language using the form niemiecki.Tatoeba #4723199 by Tomash, translation #1780489 by Amastan
- On woli francuski od niemieckiego.He prefers French to German.This sentence shows a preference of one language over niemiecki.Tatoeba #590103 by Bilberry, translation #291934 by CK
- Niemiecki nie jest łatwym językiem.German is not an easy language.This sentence uses niemiecki as the subject of the sentence.Tatoeba #449000 by esperanto, translation #38955 by CN
- Jestem z Niemiec.I am from Germany.
- lubię niemieckie jedzenieI like German food
- 36 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Katarzyna and Tomasz are discussing their language studies at a cafe.
- KatarzynaCzy niemiecki jest dla ciebie trudny?Is German difficult for you?
- TomaszNie, niemiecki jest całkiem prosty.No, German is quite simple.
- KatarzynaTo świetnie, że tak uważasz.It's great that you think so.
- TomaszChcę szybko opanować niemiecki.I want to master German quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “german” translations and entries niemiecki, niemczyzna, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
