Prinz
/pʁɪnt͡s/masculine
The German word for prince is Prinz. Wiktionary also lists Königssohn and Königsenkel.
Meaning: son or male-line grandson of a reigning monarch (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Prinz | /pʁɪnt͡s/ | masculine |
| Königssohn | [ˈkøːnɪçsˌzoːn] (narrow) | masculine |
| Königsenkel | masculine |
The term is used to describe the son or male-line grandson of a reigning monarch.
Which one should you use?
While Prinz is the standard term, you can be more specific regarding the person's relation to the monarch: Königssohn refers specifically to a king's son, while Königsenkel refers to a king's grandson. In formal or historical contexts, the term Der Fürst may also be used to denote a prince.
How does it change in a sentence?
Prinz is a weak masculine noun. This means that in the accusative, dative and genitive cases, it takes the ending -en, becoming Prinzen.
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁɪnts/
Did you know?
- The word Prinz comes from the Latin prīnceps, which combines prīmus for 'first' and capere for 'seize'.
- In historical German law, the title Fürst carried specific legal privileges and voting rights in the Imperial Diet that Prinz did not.
- German distinguishes between a Prinz and a Fürst, as the latter can refer to a sovereign ruler of a small state, not just the child of a monarch.
Examples in context
- Tom ist ein Prinz.Tom is a prince.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of Prinz.Tatoeba #6642735 by Felixjp, translation #2272851 by CK
- Ich bin kein Prinz.I'm not a prince.This sentence shows how to use Prinz in a negative statement.Tatoeba #6644704 by Felixjp, translation #5852304 by CK
- Er war ihr Prinz Charming.He was her prince charming.This sentence shows how to use Prinz in a descriptive way.Tatoeba #4923188 by al_ex_an_der, translation #4513784 by Amastan
- Der Prinz wird erwartet, um die Eröffnungsrede zu halten.The prince is expected to give the opening speech.
- Der Fürst von Liechtenstein hat seine Residenz in Vaduz.The Prince of Liechtenstein has his residence in Vaduz.
- Marc trägt ausschließlich Designerkleidung, er benimmt sich wie ein echter Prinzensohn.Marc only wears designer clothing, he behaves like a true prince.
- 91 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical novel in a library.
- HannahWer ist der Prinz in diesem Buch?Who is the prince in this book?
- FelixEr ist ein junger Prinz aus einem fernen Land.He is a young prince from a faraway land.
- HannahIst Felix der Name des Prinzen?Is Felix the name of the prince?
- FelixNein, der Prinz heißt eigentlich Arthur.No, the prince is actually named Arthur.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prince” translations and entries Prinz, Königssohn, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Königssohn, Prinz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
