mein Bruder
/maɪ̯n ˈbruːdɐ/word by word
The English phrase 'my brother' is translated into German as mein Bruder.
This phrase is used to refer to a male sibling of the speaker.
Which one should you use?
While mein Bruder is the standard way to say 'my brother', you may encounter other forms based on context. Mein Brüderchen is an affectionate way to say 'my little brother', and mein Bro is a casual version that borrows the English term 'bro'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes depending on its role in a sentence. Use meinen Bruder if it is the direct object (accusative case). Use meines Bruders to express possession (genitive case). For the plural 'my brothers', use meine Brüder.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɪ̯n ˈbruːdɐ/
Did you know?
- The term Bruder is central to the concept of Bruderschaft, a traditional German custom of drinking from the same glass to seal a friendship.
- While mein Bruder means 'my brother', the related phrase Bruder im Geiste translates to 'brother in spirit', describing a deep intellectual or ideological connection.
- The word Bruder is a linguistic 'cousin' to the Latin word frater, which is why many English words like 'fraternal' or 'fraternity' feel so similar in meaning.
Examples in context
- Wo ist mein Bruder?Where is my brother?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of mein Bruder.Tatoeba #1446818 by Esperantostern, translation #1444739 by Spamster
- Tom ist mein Bruder.Tom is my brother.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as mein Bruder.Tatoeba #2307038 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2273295 by CK
- Ali ist mein Bruder.Ali is my brother.Tatoeba #4834512 by LanguageBreaker, translation #566755 by zaman_rasikh
- Hallo, das ist mein Bruder, Stefan.Hello, this is my brother, Stefan.
- Mein Brüderchen, kannst du mir helfen?My little brother, can you help me?
- 361 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are talking about family at a cafe.
- FelixHat dein Bruder auch ein Auto?Does your brother also have a car?
- HannahNein, mein Bruder fährt lieber Fahrrad.No, my brother prefers riding a bike.
- FelixDas ist gesund für ihn.That is healthy for him.
- HannahJa, er liebt Sport.Yes, he loves sports.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mein, Bruder) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bruder, mein, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
