der  Außenseiter

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaʊsn̩ˌzaɪtɐ/

👤 What does "der Außenseiter" mean?

Der Außenseiter is a masculine noun referring to a male person (or sometimes figuratively an animal or thing) who doesn't fully belong to a group, stands on the sidelines, or is considered unlikely to succeed. The word often carries a slightly negative or pitying connotation, but can also express admiration for someone overcoming odds.

• Social context: Someone who isn't integrated into a group, a loner. Example: In der neuen Klasse fühlte er sich wie ein Außenseiter. (He felt like an outsider in the new class.)
• Sports/Competition context: A participant (person, team, horse, etc.) considered to have little chance of winning; an underdog or long shot. Example: Die Mannschaft ging als klarer Außenseiter ins Finale. (The team went into the final as a clear underdog.)
• General context: A person or thing that deviates from the norm or is isolated.

There is also a feminine form: die Außenseiterin.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar in Detail: Der Außenseiter

The noun „Außenseiter" is masculine. Its article is der.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

📝 Example Sentences

1. Der neue Schüler war anfangs ein echter Außenseiter.
   (The new student was a real outsider at first.)
2. Die Geschichte des mutigen Außenseiters beeindruckte alle.
   (The story of the brave outsider impressed everyone.)
3. Wir gaben dem Außenseiter eine Chance, sich zu beweisen.
   (We gave the outsider a chance to prove himself.)
4. Niemand beachtete den Außenseiter im Rennen.
   (Nobody paid attention to the long shot in the race.)
5. Die Außenseiter des Turniers überraschten mit ihrem Sieg.
   (The underdogs of the tournament surprised everyone with their victory.)
6. Der Trainer sprach mit den Außenseitern des Teams.
   (The coach spoke with the outsiders of the team.)
7. Man sollte die Außenseiter nicht unterschätzen.
   (One shouldn't underestimate the outsiders/underdogs.)

💡 How "Außenseiter" is Used

The term „Außenseiter" is used in various contexts:

• In social settings: Describes individuals who differ from or feel excluded by a group (school class, colleagues, society). Often associated with feelings like loneliness or being different.
• In sports and competitions: Refers to participants with low chances of winning. A victory by an Außenseiter is often considered a surprise or sensation. Here, the term is often more neutral or even positive (sympathy for the underdog).
• Figuratively: Can also be used for ideas, opinions, or products that are not (yet) mainstream. Example: Seine Theorie war lange eine Außenseitermeinung in der Forschung. (His theory was long an outsider opinion in research.)

Distinction: While „Einzelgänger" (loner) often describes a self-chosen distance, „Außenseiter" frequently implies involuntary exclusion or an assessment by others (lower chances).

🧠 Handy Mnemonics for "der Außenseiter"

For the article (der): Think of stereotypical male figures often portrayed as outsiders: DER lone wolf, DER rebel, DER underdog guy. The masculine association helps remember der Außenseiter.

For the meaning: Picture someone literally standing on the 'Außen-Seite' (outside) of a group or field. He's 'outside' the main action. He is der Außen-Seiter.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Note: „Fremder" (stranger) isn't a direct synonym. It refers more to someone unknown or from another place/country, not necessarily to their role within a known group.

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Lehrer: „Wer kann mir ein Beispiel für einen Außenseiter nennen?"
Meldet sich Fritzchen: „Das Ende von der Wurst, Herr Lehrer!"

Translation:
The teacher asks: "Who can give me an example of an outsider?"
Little Fritzchen raises his hand: "The end of the sausage, Sir!"

✒️ Poem about the Außenseiter

Am Rand der lauten, bunten Schar,
steht er allein, fast unsichtbar.
Der Lärm zieht weiter, kümmert nicht,
sein Weg folgt einem andren Licht.

Man nennt ihn schüchtern, sonderbar,
denkt, seine Chance sei nicht klar.
Doch oft birgt diese Stille Kraft,
die Unerwartetes erschafft.
Der Außenseiter, still und klein,
kann morgen schon der Sieger sein.

Translation:
On the edge of the loud, colorful crowd,
He stands alone, almost unseen.
The noise moves on, doesn't care,
His path follows a different light.

They call him shy, peculiar,
Think his chance isn't clear.
But often this silence holds power,
That creates the unexpected.
The outsider, quiet and small,
Can be the winner tomorrow.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich steh oft allein, gehör nicht ganz dazu,
Im Sport sagt man mir wenig Chancen zu.
Mal bin ich nur schüchtern, mal ein stiller Held,
Wer bin ich, der so aus der Reihe fällt?

Lösung: Der Außenseiter

Translation:
I often stand alone, don't quite belong,
In sports, they say my chances aren't strong.
Sometimes I'm just shy, sometimes a quiet hero revealed,
Who am I, standing out from the field?

Answer: Der Außenseiter (The outsider/underdog)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition: The word „Außenseiter" is composed of:

• außen: Adverb/preposition meaning 'outside', 'not inside'.
• Seite: Noun (die Seite), meaning 'side', here in the sense of 'place', 'position'.
• -er: Suffix used to form masculine nouns denoting a person performing an action or belonging to a group (agent suffix).

So, it literally describes someone who is 'on the outer side'.

Feminine Form: As mentioned, the feminine form exists: „die Außenseiterin" (plural: die Außenseiterinnen).

Cultural Significance: The figure of the Außenseiter is a common motif in literature and film, often serving as a character with whom readers/viewers who feel different or misunderstood can identify.