Großtante
The German phrase for great aunt is Großtante.
Großtante refers to the sister of one's grandmother or grandfather.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of groß, meaning great or big and Tante, meaning aunt.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany and Austria, Großtante is used as the standard formal way to address a great aunt, as well as for informal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Großtante is Großtanten.
Did you know?
- The word Tante in Großtante is actually a loanword from the French word tante.
- The adjective groß also means 'tall', so a child might jokingly refer to a very tall aunt as a Großtante based on physical stature rather than her place in the family tree.
- In many German families, you might not call a Großtante by her name or even as Großtante, but instead use the term Oma followed by her first name, treating her more like a second grandmother.
Examples in context
- Meine Großtante war eine eingefleischte Anti-Alkoholikerin.My great aunt was a staunch teetotaler.This sentence illustrates the use of Großtante.Tatoeba #812946 by MUIRIEL, translation #729862 by darinmex
- Guten Tag, Großtante Emma!Good day, Great Aunt Emma!
- Meine Großtante wohnt in Berlin.My great aunt lives in Berlin.
- Hast du eine Nachricht von deiner Großtante bekommen?Did you get a message from your great aunt?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Sarah are talking about family members at a cafe.
- FelixWie geht es deiner Großtante?How is your great aunt?
- SarahEs geht ihr sehr gut, danke.She is doing very well, thanks.
- FelixDas freut mich für sie.I am happy for her.
- SarahSie besucht mich bald.She is visiting me soon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Großtante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
