die
Anwohnerin
🏘️ What does 'die Anwohnerin' mean?
Die Anwohnerin (noun, feminine) refers to a female person who lives in the immediate vicinity of a specific location, usually a street, square, property, or construction site. It means 'female resident' or 'female local'.
It is the feminine form of the word der Anwohner (male resident).
In contrast to die Nachbarin (female neighbor), which often implies a more direct, personal relationship (e.g., living in the same building or right next door), Anwohnerin can describe a slightly wider area and is often more neutral or used in official contexts (e.g., for information about construction work).
Article rules for der, die, and das
Women → almost always feminine.
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.
-in → mostly feminine.
All persons and professions ending in -in are feminine. Other -in nouns can be der/die/das.
📚 Grammar and Declension of Anwohnerin
The word 'Anwohnerin' is a feminine noun. The article is always 'die'. The plural form is 'die Anwohnerinnen'. Feminine nouns ending in '-in' typically form their plural by adding '-nen'.
Declension Singular
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die Anwohnerin | eine Anwohnerin |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der Anwohnerin | einer Anwohnerin |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der Anwohnerin | einer Anwohnerin |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die Anwohnerin | eine Anwohnerin |
Declension Plural
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Anwohnerinnen | - Anwohnerinnen |
| Genitive | der Anwohnerinnen | - Anwohnerinnen |
| Dative | den Anwohnerinnen | - Anwohnerinnen |
| Accusative | die Anwohnerinnen | - Anwohnerinnen |
💡 Example Sentences
- Die Anwohnerin beschwerte sich über den Lärm der Baustelle.
(The female resident complained about the noise from the construction site.) - Als Anwohnerin kenne ich die besten Abkürzungen in dieser Gegend.
(As a female resident, I know the best shortcuts in this area.) - Die Stadtverwaltung informierte alle Anwohnerinnen über die geplante Straßensperrung.
(The city administration informed all female residents about the planned road closure.) - Eine freundliche Anwohnerin half uns, den Weg zu finden.
(A friendly female resident helped us find the way.)
🗣️ How to use 'Anwohnerin'?
The term 'Anwohnerin' is used to describe a woman whose place of residence is near a specific location or area.
- Context: Often used in connection with local conditions, construction projects, traffic measures, or neighborhood issues.
- Formality: Can be used in everyday language as well as in more formal or official contexts (e.g., in letters from authorities, news reports).
- Distinction from 'Nachbarin': While every Nachbarin (female neighbor) is also an Anwohnerin, not every Anwohnerin is automatically a direct neighbor in the narrower sense (e.g., next door). 'Anwohnerin' can have a broader geographical reference.
- Example: When discussing noise pollution from a new airport, one speaks of the affected Anwohnerinnen und Anwohner (female and male residents) of the surrounding villages. The woman living directly next door is primarily the Nachbarin.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article 'die': Remember that many feminine nouns designating people in German end in '-in' and take the article 'die' (die Lehrerin - female teacher, die Ärztin - female doctor, die Anwohnerin - female resident). The ending '-in' is a strong indicator for 'die'.
Meaning: Break down the word: An-wohn-en-in. She is a woman (-in) who wohnt (lives) an (at/near) a place. So she lives at or in direct proximity to it.
↔️ Opposites and Similar Terms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Nachbarin: (Female neighbor) Often more narrowly defined, direct next-door resident.
- Anliegerin: (Female abutter/adjacent resident) Very similar, often in the context of properties bordering something (e.g., a street). More official language.
- Bewohnerin: (Female inhabitant/resident) More general, refers to living in a house, apartment, or area, without the specific reference to proximity to something else.
Antonyms (opposites):
- Ortsfremde: (Female stranger/non-local) A woman who is not from the place or doesn't know her way around.
- Besucherin: (Female visitor) A woman who is only temporarily at a place.
- Touristin: (Female tourist) A woman traveling for tourism reasons and not living there.
- Auswärtige: (Female non-resident/outsider) A woman who does not live or reside in the place in question.
⚠️ Note: Although 'Nachbarin' is often used synonymously, 'Anwohnerin' can have a broader spatial reference and be less personal.
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt eine Touristin eine Anwohnerin: "Entschuldigen Sie, wie komme ich am schnellsten zum Bahnhof?"
Antwortet die Anwohnerin: "Sind Sie zu Fuß oder mit dem Auto?"
"Mit dem Auto."
"Tja, dann ist zu Fuß am schnellsten, die ganze Straße ist wegen Bauarbeiten gesperrt – als Anwohnerin weiß man das!" 😉
--- Translation ---
A female tourist asks a female resident: "Excuse me, what's the quickest way to the train station?"
The resident replies: "Are you on foot or by car?"
"By car."
"Well, then on foot is quickest, the whole street is closed due to construction work – as a resident, you know these things!" 😉
✍️ Poem about the Anwohnerin
Die Anwohnerin am Fenster schaut,
sie kennt den Lärm, der draußen laut.
Ob Baustelle, Fest, Verkehr,
sie lebt hier, liebt es doch sehr.
Kennt jede Ecke, jeden Stein,
lässt sich auf ihr Viertel ein.
Sie grüßt den Nachbarn, hilft geschwind,
weil Anwohnerinnen so sind.
--- Translation ---
The resident looks out the window pane,
she knows the noise, the loud refrain.
Be it construction, festival, or cars,
she lives here, loves it despite the scars.
Knows every corner, every stone,
embraces her neighborhood as her own.
She greets the neighbor, helps with speed,
'cause that's how female residents proceed.
❓ Riddle
Ich bin weiblich und wohne hier,
gleich nebenan, ganz nah bei dir.
Nicht nur im Haus, auch an der Straß',
kenn' ich den Lärm und auch den Spaß.
Bin ich von Bauarbeiten betroffen,
werd' ich von der Stadt angeschrieben, ganz offen.
Wer bin ich?
(... die Anwohnerin)
--- Translation ---
I am female and I live here,
right next door, very near.
Not just in the house, but by the street,
I know the noise and fun retreat.
If construction work affects my day,
the city writes to me without delay.
Who am I?
(... the female resident / die Anwohnerin)
🧩 Word Details & Trivia
Word Composition: The word 'Anwohnerin' is composed of:
- The preposition/prefix 'an' (indicating proximity or adjacency)
- The verb 'wohnen' (to live, to reside)
- The suffix '-in' (used to form the feminine noun)
Related Terms:
- Anwohnerparken: Resident parking (special parking regulations for residents).
- Anwohnerversammlung: Residents' meeting (meeting of residents to discuss local issues).
- Anliegerfrei: Sign meaning 'Access permitted for residents/abutters' (traffic sign allowing access for those living or having business on the street).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Anwohnerin?
The word 'Anwohnerin' is a feminine noun. Therefore, the correct article is always 'die'. It refers to a female person who lives near a specific location. The masculine form is 'der Anwohner', and the plural form is 'die Anwohnerinnen'.