Neffe
/ˈnɛfə/masculine
The German word for nephew is Neffe.
Neffe refers to a fraternal or sororal nephew.
Meaning: fraternal or sororal nephew (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Neffe is Neffen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnɛfə/
Did you know?
- The spelling of Neffe with double 'f' is actually a historical irregularity introduced by the reformer Martin Luther.
- In Dutch, the cognate neef can mean both 'nephew' and 'cousin', unlike the specific German Neffe.
- The word Neffe is a 'weak' masculine noun, meaning it adds an 'n' to the end in almost every case except the nominative singular.
Examples in context
- Tom ist mein Neffe.Tom is my nephew.The first sentence is useful for identifying someone as your Neffe.Tatoeba #2999561 by pne, translation #2273312 by CK
- Das ist mein Neffe.This is my nephew.The second sentence is useful for introducing someone as your Neffe.Tatoeba #10701621 by mks, translation #10701243 by AlanF_US
- Mein Neffe ist zwölf.My nephew is twelve.The third sentence is useful for stating the age of your Neffe.Tatoeba #8188963 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8188770 by Ergulis
- Das ist mein NeffeThis is my nephew
- Ich stelle Ihnen meinen Bruder, den Vater meines Neffen, vor.I would like to introduce my brother, the father of my nephew.
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Julia are talking about family during a coffee break.
- LukasWie geht es deinem Neffen?How is your nephew doing?
- JuliaEr ist sehr gesund und glücklich.He is very healthy and happy.
- LukasDas freut mich für ihn.I am happy for him.
- JuliaDanke, Lukas.Thanks, Lukas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nephew” translations and entries Neffe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Neffe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
