der
Junge
🧑 What does "der Junge" mean?
Der Junge means a boy or a young man in English. It's the most common German word for a male child or adolescent.
- Main meaning: A male child or teenager.
- Colloquial use: Can sometimes be used affectionately or informally for a young man.
🚨 Attention: The word follows the N-declension (N-Deklination) pattern (see grammar section).
Article rules for der, die, and das
Male characters → always masculine.
Caution: Most professions also have their feminine forms (e.g. die Polizistin). Some words can also have two forms: der/die Deutsche, der/die Kranke.
📜 Grammar of "der Junge" in Detail
"Der Junge" is a masculine noun. A special feature is that it belongs to the N-declension (N-Deklination). This means it takes an -n ending in all cases except for the nominative singular.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Junge |
| Genitive | des | Jungen |
| Dative | dem | Jungen |
| Accusative | den | Jungen |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Jungen |
| Genitive | der | Jungen |
| Dative | den | Jungen |
| Accusative | die | Jungen |
Example Sentences
- Nominative Singular: Der Junge spielt im Garten. (The boy plays in the garden.)
- Genitive Singular: Das ist der Ball des Jungen. (That is the boy's ball.)
- Dative Singular: Ich gebe dem Jungen ein Buch. (I give the boy a book.)
- Accusative Singular: Siehst du den Jungen dort drüben? (Do you see the boy over there?)
- Plural: Die Jungen lachen laut. (The boys laugh loudly.)
🗣️ How to use "Junge"?
- Everyday use: This is the standard word for boy in German. It is used in almost all contexts, from formal to informal.
- Age range: Typically refers to male individuals from childhood to late adolescence (approx. up to 18 years), sometimes slightly older for young men.
- Distinction from other words:
- Exclamations: "Junge, Junge!" can be used as an expression of amazement or surprise (like "Man, oh man!" or "Boy, oh boy!").
🧠 Mnemonics for "der Junge"
Article mnemonic: Think of boys often liking things associated with 'der' words like der Ball (the ball) or der Computer. He is der Junge.
Meaning mnemonic: A Junge is young. The word sounds very similar and comes directly from the German word jung (young).
N-Declension mnemonic: Imagine the boy (der Junge) is needy and always wants an extra 'n' in almost all cases (except Nominative Singular).
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
⚠️ Caution: Words like Jüngling (youth) are very outdated and sound stilted today.
😄 A Little Joke
Der Lehrer fragt: "Fritzchen, kannst du mir drei Tiere nennen, die in Australien leben?"
Fritzchen überlegt und sagt dann: "Ein Koala... und... äh... zwei Kängurus!"
Translation:
The teacher asks: "Fritzchen, can you name three animals that live in Australia?"
Fritzchen thinks and then says: "A koala... and... uh... two kangaroos!"
✍️ Poem about a Boy
Ein kleiner Junge, voller Mut,
Tut selten das, was man ihm rät und tut.
Mit Schrammen an dem Knie,
Entdeckt die Welt, so spät wie nie.
Der Junge lacht, die Sonne scheint,
Auch wenn er manchmal leise weint.
Ein Wirbelwind, ein Abenteurer,
Das Leben ist ihm nicht geheuer.
Translation:
A little boy, full of courage,
Rarely does what he's advised and urged.
With scrapes upon his knee,
Discovers the world, wild and free.
The boy laughs, the sun shines bright,
Even if he sometimes cries with slight fright.
A whirlwind, an adventurer bold,
Life's mysteries for him unfold.
❓ Riddle
Ich bin noch klein, nicht sehr alt,
Spiele gern im Wald.
Ich bin kein Mädchen, das ist klar,
Bin männlich, Jahr für Jahr.
Wer bin ich?
... Ein Junge
Translation:
I am still small, not very old,
I like to play in the woods, brave and bold.
I am not a girl, that much is clear,
I'm male, year after year.
Who am I?
... A boy
💡 Other Interesting Facts
Etymology: The word "Junge" derives directly from the adjective "jung" (young) and developed from the Middle High German "junge". It is closely related to the English word "young".
Compound Words (Komposita): There are many compound words with "Junge", e.g.:
- Schuljunge (a boy who goes to school, schoolboy)
- Bauernjunge (a farmer's son or a boy from the countryside, farm boy)
- Lausjunge (a naughty, mischievous boy, colloquial)
- Junggeselle (bachelor - note: not directly derived from "Junge", but from "Geselle" meaning journeyman or companion)
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Junge?
The word "Junge" referring to a male child or adolescent is always masculine. The correct article is der Junge. It follows the N-declension.