kleine Schwester
The English phrase "little sister" is translated into German as kleine Schwester.
kleine Schwester is used to refer to a female sibling who is younger than the speaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective kleine (little/small) and the noun Schwester (sister).
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, where "little" can imply either affection or physical size, in German kleine Schwester primarily denotes the age hierarchy, meaning a younger sister, rather than her physical stature.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the nominative singular feminine form, the adjective kleine takes the -e ending.
Did you know?
- In German, a nurse is called Krankenschwester, which literally translates to 'sick sister'.
- If you want to call your little sister 'sweetheart' or 'darling', Germans often use the diminutive form Schwesterchen instead of just adding an adjective.
- While kleine Schwester describes age, Germans often use the term Geschwister to refer to siblings of any gender or age in a single word.
Examples in context
- Ich bin deine kleine Schwester.I'm your little sister.This sentence shows how to use kleine Schwester to state a relationship.Tatoeba #12387975 by mhr, translation #12388290 by Miktsoanit
- Seine kleine Schwester ist fickbar.His little sister is fuckable.This sentence contains an example of kleine Schwester used in a highly vulgar context.Tatoeba #1282282 by Esperantostern, translation #515185 by Ooneykcall
- Pass auf deine kleine Schwester auf!Look after your little sister.This sentence shows how to use kleine Schwester when giving an instruction to care for someone.Tatoeba #5387559 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5386152 by Hybrid
- Guten Morgen, meine kleine Schwester! Wie hast du geschlafen?Good morning, my little sister! How did you sleep?
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Julia are talking about family at a cafe.
- LukasHast du eine kleine Schwester?Do you have a little sister?
- JuliaJa, meine kleine Schwester ist sehr lustig.Yes, my little sister is very funny.
- LukasWie alt ist sie?How old is she?
- JuliaSie ist erst fünf Jahre alt.She is only five years old.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
