Schwägerin
/ˈʃvɛːɡəʁɪn/
The German word for sister-in-law is Schwägerin.
Schwägerin is used to refer to either the sister of one's spouse or the wife of one's sibling.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Schwägerin is Schwägerinnen. As a feminine noun, Schwägerin follows standard feminine declension, so its ending may change depending on the grammatical case used in a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃvɛːɡəʁɪn/
Did you know?
- The word Schwägerin is derived from the Old High German word for 'sworn brother', based on the idea that in-laws were linked by a formal oath of kinship.
- The term Schwägerin is a cognate with the word Schwehrin used in Hunsrik, a dialect of German spoken in Brazil.
Examples in context
- Ist diese Schwägerin die Frau Ihres Bruders oder die Schwester Ihrer Frau?Is this sister-in-law your brothers’s wife or your wife’s sister?This sentence is useful for clarifying whether the Schwägerin refers to a brother's wife or a wife's sister.
- Meine Schwägerin ist eine bewundernswerte Frau.My sister-in-law is an admirable woman.
- Meine Schwägerin wohnt in Berlin.My sister-in-law lives in Berlin.
- Hat er eine Schwägerin?Does he have a sister-in-law?
Example conversation
Hannah and Julian are talking about family during a coffee break.
- HannahJulian, wie heißt deine Schwägerin?Julian, what is your sister-in-law's name?
- JulianSie heißt Sarah.Her name is Sarah.
- HannahIst sie sehr nett?Is she very nice?
- JulianJa, sie ist eine tolle Frau.Yes, she is a great woman.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Schwägerin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Schwägerin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
