Eltern
/ˈɛltərn/
The German word for parents is Eltern.
Eltern refers to the people who are the father and mother of a child.
How does it change in a sentence?
It is always used in the plural. To refer to a single parent, you must use the singular form ein Elternteil. The genitive plural form, meaning "of the parents", is der Eltern.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɛltərn/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because Eltern is always plural, do not use ein Eltern to mean "a parent". Instead, use ein Elternteil.
Did you know?
- The word Eltern is actually a linguistic relative of the English word 'elders'.
- In official German documents, the term Erziehungsberechtigte is often used instead of Eltern to include legal guardians.
Examples in context
- Wo sind die Eltern?Where are the parents?This sentence is useful for asking the location of the Eltern.Tatoeba #1800908 by al_ex_an_der, translation #1839310 by BraveSentry
- Die Eltern hören zu.The parents are listening.This sentence shows the Eltern performing the action of listening.Tatoeba #1484014 by Zaghawa, translation #462846 by lukaszpp
- Wo sind eure Eltern?Where are your parents?This sentence is used for asking about the location of someone's Eltern.Tatoeba #3180524 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3821614 by CK
- Hallo Mama und Papa! Wie geht es euch?Hello Mom and Dad! How are you?
- Ich gehe mit Mutti und Vati ins Kino.I'm going to the cinema with Mom and Dad.
- Ich habe gestern mit meiner Mutter und meinem Vater telefoniert.I spoke with my mother and father yesterday.
- 1466 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are talking at a café about family plans.
- JuliaBesuchst du am Wochenende deine Eltern?Are you visiting your parents this weekend?
- JulianJa, ich fahre zu meinen Eltern.Yes, I am going to my parents.
- JuliaSind deine Eltern sehr streng?Are your parents very strict?
- JulianNein, meine Eltern sind sehr nett.No, my parents are very nice.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Eltern, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Eltern, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
