Kellnerin
/ˈkɛlnəʁɪn/feminine
The German word for waitress is Kellnerin.
Kellnerin is a common and standard gender-specific term for waitress used in formal situations.
Meaning: female waiter (noun)
Which one should you use?
Kellnerin is the feminine form specifically for a female waitress. In contrast, Kellner is the masculine form used for a male waiter or as a generic term for the profession. When addressing a mixed-gender group of waitstaff, Kellner may be used as a gender-neutral term.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Kellnerin is Kellnerinnen. In the dative case, the article changes from die to der, resulting in der Kellnerin.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkɛlnəʁɪn/
Did you know?
- If you are in a very traditional or old-fashioned setting, a waitress might be referred to as a Bedienung, which literally translates to 'a serving'.
- Even though Kellnerin is the specific female term, some modern German texts use the 'Genderstar' or 'Gendergap' like Kellner*in to be inclusive of all genders in one word.
- In many parts of Germany, if you want to get a waitress's attention, it is often more polite to catch her eye or raise a hand rather than calling out Entschuldigung, Kellnerin!
Examples in context
- Wo ist die Kellnerin?Where is the waitress?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of the waitress.Tatoeba #5798403 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5788161 by Eccles17
- Tom lächelte die Kellnerin an.Tom smiled at the waitress.This sentence is useful for describing an action directed at the waitress.Tatoeba #2967203 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2948392 by Hybrid
- Eine schöne Kellnerin bediente uns.A pretty waitress waited on us.This sentence is useful for describing a waitress performing service.Tatoeba #563846 by Manfredo, translation #63087 by CK
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting in a busy restaurant.
- MaximilianHannah, kannst du die Kellnerin rufen?Hannah, can you call the waitress?
- HannahJa, die Kellnerin kommt gleich.Yes, the waitress is coming right away.
- MaximilianDanke, ich habe großen Hunger.Thanks, I am very hungry.
- HannahKeine Sorge, Maximilian, das Essen kommt.Don't worry, Maximilian, the food is coming.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “waitress” translations and entries Kellnerin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
