Leutnant
/ˈlɔʏ̯tnant/masculine
The English phrase 'lieutenant' is translated into German as Leutnant. Wiktionary also lists Leutnantin.
Meaning: lowest commissioned officer rank (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Leutnant | /ˈlɔʏ̯tnant/ | masculine |
| Leutnantin | feminine |
Leutnant refers to the rank of the lowest commissioned officer. It can also function as an adjective meaning 'military grade'.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form is Leutnant, while the feminine form is Leutnantin.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlɔʏ̯tnant/
Did you know?
- The spelling of Leutnant was a political tool. In 1899, the German Empire introduced the modern spelling to distance the language from French during a period of rising Franco-German tensions.
Examples in context
- Tom war kein Leutnant.Tom wasn't a lieutenant.This sentence is useful for expressing that someone did not hold the rank of Leutnant.Tatoeba #12456230 by Waldelfe, translation #6355410 by CK
- Als Juri Gagarin an Bord der Wostok 1 abhob, war er Leutnant der Luftstreitkräfte. Als er landete, war er Major.When Yuri Gagarin took off in Vostok 1, he was an Air Force lieutenant. When he landed, he was a major.This sentence describes the military rank held by Yuri Gagarin during his flight.Tatoeba #8307348 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3958766 by Hybrid
- Herr Schmidt wurde zum Oberleutnant befördert.Mr. Schmidt was promoted to lieutenant.
- Der Hauptmann war in der Rolle eines Leutnants während der Übung.The captain acted as a lieutenant during the exercise.
- Er wurde gestern zum Leutnant ernannt.He was promoted to lieutenant yesterday.
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are talking about a family member's career.
- LukasWas arbeitet dein Onkel eigentlich?What does your uncle actually do for a living?
- SarahEr ist Leutnant bei der Armee.He is a lieutenant in the army.
- LukasDas klingt nach einer großen Verantwortung.That sounds like a big responsibility.
- SarahJa, er führt eine kleine Gruppe.Yes, he leads a small group.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lieutenant” translations and entries Leutnant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Leutnant, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
