mein Sohn
/maɪ̯n zoːn/word by word
In German, 'my son' is mein Sohn.
This phrase is used by a parent to refer to their male child.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southern Germany and Austria, the regional variation Mein Bub is often used to mean 'my lad' or 'my boy'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes depending on its role in a sentence. Use meinen Sohn when the phrase is the direct object (accusative case). Use meinem Sohn when the phrase is the indirect object or follows a dative preposition (dative case). Use meines Sohnes to indicate possession or 'of my son' (genitive case).
How do you pronounce it?
/maɪ̯n zoːn/
Did you know?
- While mein Sohn is the literal translation, German parents often use the diminutive Söhnchen to express affection, which translates literally to 'little son'.
- In some German dialects and older usage, the word Sohn can be used to describe a male descendant of any generation, not just a biological child.
- The word Sohn is used in the German expression Sohn der Kirche, meaning 'son of the church', to describe a devoted member regardless of biological relation.
Examples in context
- Wo ist mein Sohn?Where is my son?This example shows how to ask for the location of mein Sohn.Tatoeba #3104362 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2093443 by gleki
- Er ist mein Sohn.He's my son.This example is used to identify someone as mein Sohn.Tatoeba #4706880 by bonny37, translation #4703087 by CH
- Du bist mein Sohn.You're my son.This example is used to address someone directly as mein Sohn.Tatoeba #1909223 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1895593 by CK
- Sie kennen meinen Sohn nicht.You don't know my son.
- Mein Bub spielt gerne Fußball.My lad enjoys playing soccer.
- 138 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are talking about their family at a cafe.
- JulianMein Sohn spielt gerne Fußball.My son likes playing football.
- SarahDas ist toll!That is great!
- JulianIst dein Sohn auch sportlich?Is your son also athletic?
- SarahJa, er ist sehr aktiv.Yes, he is very active.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mein, Sohn) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
