Hausmeister
/ˈhaʊsˌmaɪ̯stɐ/masculine
The English word janitor is translated into German as Hausmeister. Wiktionary also lists Hauswartin and Hauswart.
Meaning: caretaker (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hausmeister | /ˈhaʊsˌmaɪ̯stɐ/ | masculine |
| Hauswartin | feminine | |
| Hauswart | masculine |
The term refers to a caretaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of Haus (house) and Meister (master/foreman).
Which one should you use?
Hausmeister is the masculine form, while Hauswart is an alternative masculine form. For a female janitor, you can use Hauswartin or the feminine version of the first term, Hausmeisterin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Hauswart is the standard term used in Switzerland, whereas Hausmeister is more common in Germany.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to a female janitor, you can use the feminine form Hausmeisterin. For the plural of Hausmeister, the word remains Hausmeister, though the article will change to indicate plurality.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhaʊsˌmaɪ̯stɐ/
Did you know?
- In Germany, the Hausmeister is often the primary enforcer of the Hausordnung, a formal set of house rules that can strictly regulate when residents are permitted to perform noisy activities like vacuuming.
- The term Hausmeister-Humor describes a specific cultural stereotype of wit associated with the profession, typically characterized as being dry, practical and slightly grumpy.
- While 'Meister' implies a highly skilled artisan or master craftsman in most German contexts, in the case of a Hausmeister, it simply denotes the person in charge of the building's maintenance.
Examples in context
- Paul arbeitet als Hausmeister einer Schule.Paul works as a janitor at a school.This sentence shows the use of Hausmeister in the context of a workplace.Tatoeba #12556481 by Waldelfe, translation #11653122 by Amastan
- Er ist Hausmeister.He's a janitor.This sentence is a simple identification using Hausmeister.Tatoeba #12668729 by Waldelfe, translation #8392675 by Amastan
- Tom fing als Hausmeister an, doch jetzt ist er der Präsident der Firma.Tom started as a janitor, but he's now the president of the company.This sentence uses Hausmeister to describe a professional starting point.Tatoeba #3669270 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3669233 by Hybrid
- Guten Tag, ich suche den Hausmeister des Gebäudes.Good day, I'm looking for the janitor of the building.
- Die Gebäudereiniger haben hervorragende Arbeit geleistet.The janitors have done an excellent job.
- Monika arbeitet als Putzkraft an unserer Schule.Monika works as a janitor at our school.
- Der Hauswart hat mir geholfen, das Problem zu beheben.The janitor helped me fix the problem.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are talking about their apartment building.
- LukasIst der Hausmeister heute im Gebäude?Is the janitor in the building today?
- SarahJa, er repariert gerade die Lampe.Yes, he is repairing the lamp right now.
- LukasDas ist gut, ich brauche seine Hilfe.That is good, I need his help.
- SarahDu solltest ihn direkt fragen.You should ask him directly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “janitor” translations and entries Hausmeister, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
