mein Mann
/maɪ̯n man/word by word
In German, the phrase "my man" is represented by mein Mann.
In German, mein Mann is used to refer to a spouse.
Meaning: term of address for a male friend (noun)
Which one should you use?
In English, "my man" can function as a term of address for a friend, but in German, mein Mann almost exclusively means "my husband". To express the same sentiment as the English slang "my man" or "dude" when addressing a male friend, Germans are more likely to use Alter.
How do you pronounce it?
/maɪ̯n man/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use mein Mann to translate the slangy English address "my man", but this is a mistake in German as it sounds like you are referring to your husband.
Did you know?
- In modern German slang, if you want to express the 'my man' energy of 'my dude', you would use Digga instead of any word involving 'Mann'.
- The German word Alter is the typical way to address a male friend in a way that mirrors the casualness of the English 'my man'.
- A more formal version of 'my man' or 'my lord' exists in German as mein Herr, which is used in much more traditional or service-oriented settings.
Examples in context
- Hey Kumpel, hast du Lust, heute ein Bier zu trinken?Hey buddy, do you feel like grabbing a beer today?
Example conversation
Laura greets Lukas at a cafe.
- LauraHey Lukas, schön dich zu sehen, mein Mann!Hey Lukas, good to see you, my man!
- LukasHi Laura! Wie läuft es bei dir?Hi Laura! How are things with you?
- LauraAlles super, danke der Nachfrage.Everything's great, thanks for asking.
- LukasDas freut mich sehr zu hören.I'm very glad to hear that.
