queer
/kwiːɐ̯/
The English word 'queer' is translated into German as queer.
In German, queer is an adjective used to describe something pertaining to non-normative sexuality. The English term queer is used in German, particularly within informal and LGBTQ+ communities.
Meaning: pertaining to non-normative sexuality (adj)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, queer inflects based on the gender and number of the noun it precedes. It takes the ending -e for feminine or plural nouns, such as in eine queere Frau. It takes the ending -er for masculine or neuter nouns, such as in ein queerer Mann. Additionally, the noun form Queers is used in slang to refer to a person of atypical sexuality or sexual identity.
How do you pronounce it?
/kwiːɐ̯/
Did you know?
- While queer is used in modern slang, the older German term quer means 'crosswise' or 'oblique'. This linguistic overlap creates a poetic connection between being 'queer' and moving across the grain of society.
- In German, using queer can be a way to signal political alignment with intersectional feminism. It is often seen as more inclusive and politically active than using specific labels like schwul or lesbisch.
- Although queer is used in Germany, many older activists prefer the term schwul for gay men or lesbisch for lesbians, as queer was historically viewed as an American import.
Examples in context
- Ich bin hier, ich bin queer, gewöhn dich daran.I'm here, I'm queer, get used to it.The sentence is useful for expressing the phrase queer.Tatoeba #6216399 by wxcraft, translation #5094504 by al_ex_an_der
- Ich bin queer.I'm queer.Tatoeba #10723191 by Vortarulo, translation #10031070 by shekitten
- Du kannst mich nicht zum Schweigen bringen. Du bezeichnest mich als eine Bedrohung für die Menschheit, aber ich bin alles, was du fürchtest: eine laute Frau, eine queere Frau, eine Mutter, die die Wahrheit sagt.You can't silence me. You call me a threat to humanity, but I'm everything you fear: a loud woman, a queer woman, a mother who speaks the truth.The sentence is useful for showing how queere is used as an inflection of queer before a feminine noun.Tatoeba #13413750 by Rovo, translation #13413741 by Rovo
Example conversation
Lukas and Julia are at a community center event.
- LukasBist du auch queer?Are you also queer?
- JuliaJa, ich bin queer.Yes, I am queer.
- LukasDas ist toll zu hören.That is great to hear.
- JuliaDanke, Lukas.Thanks, Lukas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “queer” translations and entries queer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
