Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Held | /hɛlt/ | masculine |
| Kriegsheld | masculine | |
| Kriegsheldin | feminine |
A Held is a person of great bravery. You can use various compound words to specify the type of hero, such as Superheld for superhero, Feuerwehrheld for firefighter hero or Alltagsheld for everyday hero. Related terms include the adjective heldenhaft (heroic) and the noun Heldenmut (heroism).
Which one should you use?
While Held is used to describe a hero in a general sense, Kriegsheld is used specifically to refer to a war hero.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is Held. The feminine form is Heldin, which translates to heroine. To refer to multiple heroes, use the plural form Helden.
How do you pronounce it?
/hɛlt/
When do people say it?
Historical or legendary figures might be referenced in such contexts, such as Siegfried der Drachentöter (Siegfried the Dragon Slayer).
Did you know?
- The English word 'health' is a distant relative of the German word Held, sharing a common ancestor that likely meant 'whole' or 'unharmed'.
- The phrase Held sein can be used ironically in German to describe someone who thinks they are more important or brave than they actually are.
- While Kriegsheld translates to 'war hero', the term is often viewed with more skepticism or political tension in modern Germany than 'war hero' is in the US.
Examples in context
- Tom ist ein Held.Tom is a hero.This sentence illustrates how to identify someone as a hero using Held.Tatoeba #1604681 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1604619 by Spamster
- Er ist kein Held.He's not a hero.This sentence shows how to negate the status of being a hero using Held.Tatoeba #1815774 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1815763 by Spamster
- Er ist mein Held.He's my hero.This sentence demonstrates expressing personal admiration for a hero using Held.Tatoeba #2306795 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2306672 by Hybrid
- Er ist ein wahrer Held.He is a true hero.
- Die Feuerwehrmänner sind Helden unserer Gesellschaft.Firefighters are heroes of our society.
- Unsere Soldaten sind mutige Helden.Our soldiers are courageous heroes.
- Du bist mein persönlicher Held.You are my personal hero.
- Sie ist eine echte Heldin.She is a genuine hero.
- Ihr seid meine Helden.You all are my heroes.
- 91 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are talking about a brave firefighter on the news.
- JulianDas war wirklich mutig von ihm.That was really brave of him.
- LauraJa, er ist ein echter Held.Yes, he is a real hero.
- JulianIch hoffe, er ist nicht verletzt.I hope he is not injured.
- LauraEin Held riskiert oft sein Leben.A hero often risks his life.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hero” translations and entries Held, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Held, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
