dein Freund
/daɪ̯n frɔʏ̯nt/word by word
The English phrase 'your friend' is translated into German as dein Freund.
The phrase refers to a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection. In German, using the masculine form dein Freund is ambiguous as it can mean either a platonic male friend or a romantic boyfriend, depending on the context. To convey a more familiar sense of camaraderie, the informal term Kumpel is often used.
Which one should you use?
While dein Freund is the default for a male friend, you must use deine Freundin to specifically refer to a female friend. To express a formal level of politeness, use Ihr Freund for a male friend or Ihre Freundin for a female friend.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, the term Kollege is used to refer to friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to a female friend, use the feminine form deine Freundin. If you need to indicate possession using the genitive case (for example, to say 'of your friend'), use the form deines Freundes.
How do you pronounce it?
/daɪ̯n frɔʏ̯nt/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget that dein Freund can imply a romantic relationship, whereas in English 'your friend' is almost always platonic.
Did you know?
- While Freund means 'friend' in German, its cognates in Danish and Swedish mean 'relative'.
- In German, the word Kumpel for a buddy originally referred to a mining companion.
- Because Freund can be romantic, Germans often use the phrase ein Freund von mir to clarify that a person is just a platonic friend.
Examples in context
- Er ist dein Freund.He's your friend.This sentence is useful for identifying a male friend.Tatoeba #1791676 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1780049 by Spamster
- Da ist dein Freund.There's your friend.This sentence is useful for pointing out a male friend.Tatoeba #2351838 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2259509 by _undertoad
- Wo ist dein Freund?Where's your friend?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of a male friend.Tatoeba #2629926 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2628916 by Hybrid
- Haben Sie Ihren Freund schon über die Veranstaltung informiert?Have you informed your friend about the event?
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are at a party.
- MaximilianIst das dein Freund dort?Is that your friend over there?
- SarahJa, das ist Lukas.Yes, that is Lukas.
- MaximilianWie lange kennst du dein Freund schon?How long have you known your friend?
- SarahWir sind seit der Schule befreundet.We have been friends since school.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (dein, Freund) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Freund, dein, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
