Missionar
masculine
The German word for missionary is Missionar.
A Missionar refers to a person traveling to spread a religion. If you are describing something that relates to a mission, you should use the adjective missionarisch. In certain specific contexts, you might also encounter the terms Missionsmitarbeiter, which describes someone involved in mission work or Evangelist/in, which can be used to refer to a missionary.
Meaning: person traveling to spread a religion (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Missionar is masculine. To refer to a female missionary, use the feminine form Missionarin. The plural form, used to describe multiple missionaries, is Missionare. If you need to use the genitive singular to indicate possession (missionary's), the form is Missionars.
Did you know?
- The term Missionar is often linked in German culture to the 'Missionary position' (Missionarsstellung), a phrase that has entered the general lexicon as a common euphemism.
- In modern German, Missionar is frequently used metaphorically to describe someone who is zealously trying to convert others to a non-religious cause, such as a specific diet or a software platform.
- The German adjective missionarisch can be used as a subtle insult in a professional setting. If someone describes your communication style as missionarisch, they may be suggesting you are being preachy or annoyingly pushy about your ideas.
Examples in context
- Tom ist christlicher Missionar.Tom is a Christian missionary.This sentence is useful for identifying someone's religious profession using Missionar.Tatoeba #7027775 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7027715 by Hybrid
- Im Jahre 1807 erreichte Robert Morrison, der erste britische protestantische Missionar in China, Kanton.In 1807, Robert Morrison, the first British Protestant missionary to China arrived in Guangzhou.This sentence provides a historical context for the arrival of a British Protestant Missionar in China.Tatoeba #13510756 by Waldelfe, translation #898051 by eastasiastudent
- Gestern war ein junger Missionar an meiner Haustür, aber es ist mir nicht gelungen, ihn von seinem Glauben abzubringen.Yesterday, a young missionary was at my front door, but I was not able to dissuade him from his faith.This sentence shows a personal encounter with a young Missionar at a door.Tatoeba #995974 by User4473, translation #3547620 by niceguydave
- Herr/Frau [Last Name], sind Sie ein Missionar/Missionarin?Mr./Mrs. [Last Name], are you a missionary?
- Bist du ein Missionar/eine Missionarin?Are you a missionary?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are discussing a documentary in a cafe.
- MaximilianWar der Mann in dem Film ein Missionar?Was the man in the film a missionary?
- JuliaJa, er war ein Missionar im Pazifik.Yes, he was a missionary in the Pacific.
- MaximilianDas klingt nach einem gefährlichen Leben.That sounds like a dangerous life.
- JuliaEs war für ihn eine große Berufung.It was a great calling for him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “missionary” translations and entries Missionar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
