Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftler | /ˈvɪsn̩ʃaftlɐ/ /ˈvɪsənʃaftlɐ/ |
masculine |
| Wissenschaftlerin | /ˈvɪsənˌʃaftlɐʁɪn/ | feminine |
| Wissenschafter | masculine | |
| Wissenschafterin | /ˈvɪsənˌʃaftɐʁɪn/ | feminine, alternative form |
A scientist is one whose activities make use of the scientific method.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Wissenschaftler is composed of Wissen (knowledge), the suffix schaft (which forms nouns of relation or state, similar to the English -ship) and the suffix -ler (denoting a person who performs an action or is associated with something).
Which one should you use?
Use Wissenschaftler for a male scientist or when referring to a mixed-gender group of scientists in a generic sense. Use Wissenschaftlerin specifically when referring to a single female scientist. The form Wissenschafterin is an alternative spelling of Wissenschaftlerin.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the masculine Wissenschaftler is also Wissenschaftler, meaning the word does not change in the plural nominative case. For the feminine form, the plural of Wissenschaftlerin is Wissenschaftlerinnen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈvɪsn̩ʃaftlɐ/
Did you know?
- In German, Wissenschaft covers both the natural sciences and the humanities. A historian or a sociologist is just as much a Wissenschaftler as a physicist.
- The term Wissenschaftler is relatively modern. Before the 19th century, people used specific titles like Naturforscher for 'naturalist' because the concept of a professional 'scientist' did not yet exist.
- In academic writing, you may see Wissenschaftler:innen or Wissenschaftler*innen. These use a colon or asterisk to include all genders in a single word.
Examples in context
- Ich bin kein Wissenschaftler.I'm not a scientist.Tatoeba #1796273 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1795439 by Spamster
- Tom ist kein Wissenschaftler.Tom isn't a scientist.Tatoeba #9996465 by wolfgangth, translation #8978633 by CK
- Ich will Wissenschaftler werden.I want to be a scientist.Tatoeba #12593157 by Waldelfe, translation #8913572 by CK
- Der Wissenschaftler hat bahnbrechende Forschungen auf dem Gebiet der Künstlichen Intelligenz durchgeführt.The scientist conducted groundbreaking research in the field of artificial intelligence.
- Die hochqualifizierten Forscher arbeiten gemeinsam an der Entwicklung eines neuartigen Krebstherapeutikums.The highly skilled scientists are working together on the development of a novel cancer therapy.
- Ein Naturwissenschaftler sollte stets die Naturgesetze hinterfragen und neue Erkenntnisse gewinnen.A scientist in natural sciences should always question natural laws and acquire new knowledge.
- Ich finde es faszinierend, was die Forscher heutzutage alles entdecken.I find it fascinating what scientists discover these days.
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are discussing his career during dinner.
- MaximilianIch möchte ein guter Wissenschaftler werden.I want to become a good scientist.
- LauraDas ist ein toller Beruf, Maximilian.That is a great profession, Maximilian.
- MaximilianGlaubst du, ich bin als Wissenschaftler geeignet?Do you think I am suited to be a scientist?
- LauraJa, du bist sehr begabt.Yes, you are very talented.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scientist” translations and entries Wissenschaftler, Wissenschaftlerin, Wissenschafter, Wissenschafterin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
