Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lehrer | /ˈleːrər/ | masculine |
| Lehrerin | /ˈleː.rə.rɪn/ /ˈlɛː.ə.rɪn/ |
feminine |
The term refers to a person who teaches. While Lehrer is the general term, more specific professional titles exist depending on the context: Pädagoge or Pädagogin are used for educators or pedagogues in academic settings, Dozent or Dozentin refers to lecturers or professors in higher education and Professor or Professorin is a title reserved specifically for university professors.
Which one should you use?
German uses gender-specific forms to distinguish the teacher. Use Lehrer when referring to a male teacher, and use Lehrerin when referring specifically to a female teacher.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form Lehrer serves as both the singular form for a male teacher and the plural form for a group of male teachers or a mixed-gender group. To specify a female teacher, you use the feminine form Lehrerin, which is created by adding the suffix -in to the masculine form. The plural form for female teachers is Lehrerinnen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈleːrər/
Did you know?
- The word Lehrer comes from the verb lehren, which is a linguistic cousin of the English word 'lore', referring to traditional knowledge or teaching.
- In German schools, students traditionally address their Lehrer using the formal Sie and the title Herr or Frau followed by their surname, creating a clear social distance that is more rigid than in many English-speaking schools.
- To avoid using the gender-specific Lehrer or Lehrerin, some modern German institutions use the Gendersternchen, writing the word as Lehrer*in to include all gender identities.
Examples in context
- Ist er Ihr Lehrer?Is he your teacher?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is a specific person's teacher.Tatoeba #2448522 by Zaghawa, translation #282885 by CK
- Wo ist der Lehrer?Where's the teacher?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of a teacher.Tatoeba #6691354 by srovorake, translation #6357339 by CK
- Sie mag den Lehrer.She likes the teacher.This sentence is useful for expressing an opinion about a teacher.Tatoeba #689100 by samueldora, translation #311315 by CK
- Der Lehrer unterrichtet heute Mathematik.The teacher is teaching mathematics today.
- Die Lehrerin ist sehr geduldig.The teacher is very patient.
- Die Pädagogin organisiert eine Exkursion.The educator is organizing an excursion.
- Der Dozent erklärt komplexe wissenschaftliche Konzepte.The lecturer explains complex scientific concepts.
- Die Professorin lehrt an einer renommierten Universität.The professor teaches at a prestigious university.
- Mein Lehrer hat uns eine interessante Geschichte erzählt.My teacher told us an interesting story.
- Unsere Lehrerin versteht sich gut mit den Schülern.Our teacher gets along well with the students.
- Die Lehrenden unterstützen die Studierenden bei ihren Projekten.The teachers support the students with their projects.
- Die Erzieherinnen gestalten kreative Aktivitäten für die Kinder.The educators organize creative activities for the children.
- 1519 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Julian are talking about their new class.
- SarahHast du den neuen Lehrer schon getroffen?Have you met the new teacher yet?
- JulianJa, der Lehrer ist sehr nett.Yes, the teacher is very nice.
- SarahWas unterrichtet der Lehrer genau?What exactly does the teacher teach?
- JulianEr ist unser Lehrer für Geschichte.He is our teacher for history.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations and entries Lehrer, Lehrerin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Lehrer, Lehrerin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
