Johannes
/joˈhanəs/masculine
The German male given name for John is Johannes. Wiktionary also lists Johann and Jan.
Meaning: male given name (name)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Johannes | /joˈhanəs/ | masculine |
| Johann | /ˈjoːhan/ | masculine |
| Jan | /jan/ /jaːn/ |
masculine |
| Hans | /hans/ | masculine |
The forms Johann, Johannes, Jan and Hans are all German masculine given names that correspond to the English name John.
Which one should you use?
Johannes is the German equivalent of "John" and can be used formally. Johann, Jan and Hans are also used as versions of the name.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some southern regions, such as Bavaria, Hans might be more commonly used than Johannes.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/joˈhanəs/
Did you know?
- In German folklore and idioms, the name Hans is often used to represent a typical everyman or a simpleton, similar to 'Jack' in English.
- The German name Johannes shares its ancient roots with the Hebrew name 'Yohanan', which means 'Yahweh is gracious'.
- Unlike English, where 'John' can be a slang term for a toilet, the name Johannes or Hans is never used this way in German.
Examples in context
- Johannes gab Maria Geld.John gave Mary some money.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form Johannes in a sentence.Tatoeba #1524654 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #52647 by CN
- Johannes ist ein guter Freund.Johannes is a good friend.
- Ich habe Johannes gestern im Park getroffen.I met Johannes in the park yesterday.
- 2193 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Lukas are talking about a mutual acquaintance.
- LauraKennst du eigentlich Johannes?Do you actually know Johannes?
- LukasJa, er ist ein netter Mann.Yes, he is a nice man.
- LauraHat Johannes dich angerufen?Did Johannes call you?
- LukasNein, er hat noch nicht angerufen.No, he hasn't called yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “john” translations and entries Johannes, Johann, Jan, Hans, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hans, Jan, Johannes, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
