Schwester
/ˈʃvɛstɐ/feminine
The German word for sister is Schwester. Wiktionary also lists Schwöschter.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Schwester | /ˈʃvɛstɐ/ | feminine |
| Schwöschter | Alemannic German, feminine |
Schwester is a feminine noun used to refer to a woman or girl who has the same parents as another person.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic-German regions, such as parts of Switzerland or Southwestern Germany, you may encounter the dialectal form Schwöschter.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The nominative singular form of the noun is die Schwester, and the genitive singular form is der Schwester. To talk about more than one sister, use the plural form Schwestern. Additionally, you can use diminutive forms to change the nuance: Schwesterchen means little sister, while Schwesterlein means sister dear.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃvɛstɐ/
Did you know?
- In many German-speaking hospitals, a nurse is often addressed as Schwester followed by her name, a tradition stemming from the historical role of religious sisters caring for the sick.
- The diminutive Schwesterchen uses the suffix -chen, which grammatically forces the noun to be neuter rather than feminine.
- The phrase Schwester im Geiste translates to 'sister in spirit' and is used to describe a very close female friend without a blood relation.
Examples in context
- Wo ist eure Schwester?Where is your sister?This sentence is useful for asking where a group's sister is using the word Schwester.Tatoeba #1521270 by al_ex_an_der, translation #914041 by Jane_Austen
- Wo ist Ihre Schwester?Where's your sister?This sentence is useful for asking where a person's sister is using the word Schwester.Tatoeba #1521271 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2254691 by CK
- Hat er eine Schwester?Does he have a sister?This sentence is useful for asking if a man has a sister using the word Schwester.Tatoeba #7284985 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7284706 by Hybrid
- Meine Schwester ist eine Ärztin.My sister is a doctor.
- Haben Sie eine Schwester?Do you have a sister?
- Frau Schmidt ist meine Schwester.Mrs. Schmidt is my sister.
- Meine Schwester ist meine beste Freundin.My sister is my best friend.
- Ich liebe meine Schwester.I love my sister.
- Meine kleine Schwester ist total niedlich.My little sister is really cute.
- 1141 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are talking about their families.
- JulianHast du eine Schwester, Hannah?Do you have a sister, Hannah?
- HannahJa, meine Schwester wohnt in Berlin.Yes, my sister lives in Berlin.
- JulianIst sie älter als du?Is she older than you?
- HannahNein, sie ist meine kleine Schwester.No, she is my little sister.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries Schwester, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
