der  Guide

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡaɪ̯d/

🗺️ What does "der Guide" mean?

The word der Guide is a masculine noun in German. It originates from English (and French before that) and primarily has two meanings:

1. Person who leads or guides: This is the most common meaning. It refers to a person who accompanies other people and gives them information, for example, on a city tour (Stadtführung), in a museum (Museum), or during a trip (Reise). Synonyms for this include der Fremdenführer (tour guide, often local) or der Reiseleiter (tour leader, often for trips).
2. Guidebook or manual: Less commonly, "der Guide" can also refer to a written work that provides instructions or information on a specific topic, similar to der Ratgeber (guidebook, advisor) or der Leitfaden (guideline, manual). ⚠️ For this meaning, the words "der Ratgeber" or "das Handbuch" (manual) are often preferred in German.

As it is a loanword, it's often used in the context of tourism, leisure, or sometimes for instructions (e.g., Software-Guide).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "der Guide" in Detail

"Der Guide" is a masculine noun. It is mostly declined according to the n-declension (weak declension) or mixed declension, although "des Guide" (without -n/-en) can also occur in the genitive singular. Here are the declension tables:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Der Guide erklärte uns die Geschichte des Schlosses sehr anschaulich.
   (The guide explained the history of the castle to us very vividly.)
2. Wir haben die Tour bei einem erfahrenen Guide gebucht.
   (We booked the tour with an experienced guide.)
3. Folgen Sie bitte dem Guide durch das Museum.
   (Please follow the guide through the museum.)
4. Kennen Sie einen guten Guide für die Altstadt?
   (Do you know a good guide for the old town?)
5. Alle Guides trafen sich am vereinbarten Treffpunkt.
   (All guides met at the agreed meeting point.)
6. Dieser Guide enthält nützliche Tipps für die Reise.
   (This guide[book] contains useful tips for the trip.)

💡 How is "der Guide" used?

The usage of der Guide is highly context-dependent:

• Tourism & Culture: Very common for people offering guided tours (Museumsguide, Stadtguide, Reise-Guide). Example: "Unser Guide in Rom war fantastisch." (Our guide in Rome was fantastic.)
• Instructions & Guidebooks: Sometimes used for written or digital instructions (Software-Guide, Style-Guide), but often sounds a bit trendy or like an Anglicism. Here, der Ratgeber, der Leitfaden, or die Anleitung (instructions) are often more common and stylistically neutral. Example: "Ich habe mir einen Guide zum Thema Fotografie gekauft." (I bought a guide[book] on the topic of photography.)
• Colloquial speech: Can also generally refer to someone who provides orientation.

Distinction: While der Führer also describes a person who leads, this word often has negative connotations in German due to its historical association and is usually avoided in the tourism context. Der Reiseleiter is more specific to travel, while der Fremdenführer often refers to local guides. "Der Guide" is a modern, neutral, and internationally understandable alternative.

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt ein Tourist den Guide: "Können Sie mir sagen, wie spät es ungefähr ist?"
Antwortet der Guide: "Nein, tut mir leid. Ich kann Ihnen nur die genaue Uhrzeit sagen!"

Translation:
A tourist asks the guide: "Can you tell me approximately what time it is?"
The guide replies: "No, sorry. I can only tell you the exact time!"

📜 Poem about the Guide

Der Stadt-Guide

Mit Plan und Wissen, Schritt für Schritt,
nimmt uns der Guide zum Ausflug mit.
Erzählt von Gassen, alt und krumm,
dreht sich für Fragen lächelnd um.

Er kennt die Fakten, groß und klein,
lässt uns in fremde Welten ein.
Ein guter Guide, das ist gewiss,
ein Schatz auf jeder Städtereis'.

Translation:
The City Guide

With map and knowledge, step by step,
the guide takes us on the trip.
Tells of alleys, old and crooked,
turns around for questions with a smile.

He knows the facts, both big and small,
lets us enter foreign worlds.
A good guide, that is certain,
a treasure on every city trip.

❓ Riddle

Ich zeige dir die Stadt bei Tag und Nacht,
habe auf deine Fragen stets Acht.
Ich führe Gruppen, erkläre viel,
bringe dich sicher an dein Ziel.
Mal bin ich Mensch, mal steh' ich im Regal,
wer bin ich? Denk mal nach, sag's mir einmal!

Translation:
I show you the city by day and night,
always pay attention to your questions bright.
I lead groups, explain a lot,
bring you safely to your spot.
Sometimes I'm human, sometimes on a shelf I stand,
who am I? Think about it, tell me now firsthand!

Solution: der Guide

💡 Other Information

Word Origin: The word "Guide" was adopted into German from English in the 20th century. The English word, in turn, comes from the Old French "guide" (leader) or "guider" (to lead), which has Germanic origins related to the German word "weisen" (to show, to point out).

Compounds: The word is often used in compound nouns to specify the type of guidance, e.g.:

• Stadtguide (city guide)
• Museumsguide (museum guide)
• Reiseguide (travel guide - often a book)
• Audio-Guide (audio guide device)
• Styleguide (style guide - rules for design/writing style)