die
Bewohnerin
🏠 What does 'die Bewohnerin' mean?
Die Bewohnerin is a feminine noun referring to a female person who dwells or lives in a specific place. This place can be a house, an apartment, a city, a country, or even a specific institution.
It's the feminine form of der Bewohner (the male inhabitant/resident).
- Context House/Apartment: A woman living in a particular house or apartment.
- Context City/Country: A woman residing in a particular city or country (often interchangeable with 'Einwohnerin', see usage notes).
- Context Institution: A woman living, for example, in a nursing home or a similar institution.
⚠️ Be aware that Bewohnerin specifically relates to the place of residence, not, for instance, a temporary presence (for which Besucherin - female visitor - would be more appropriate).
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 of 'die Bewohnerin' in Detail
Die Bewohnerin is a feminine noun. It follows the weak n-declension in the plural (adding '-n' or '-nen').
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Bewohnerin |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Bewohnerin |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Bewohnerin |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Bewohnerin |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Bewohnerinnen |
| Genitive | der | Bewohnerinnen |
| Dative | den | Bewohnerinnen |
| Accusative | die | Bewohnerinnen |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die neue Bewohnerin des Hauses ist sehr nett. (The new female resident of the house is very nice.)
- Das Auto gehört der Bewohnerin aus dem zweiten Stock. (The car belongs to the female resident from the second floor.)
- Wir haben alle neuen Bewohnerinnen zum Grillfest eingeladen. (We invited all the new female residents to the barbecue party.)
- Die Anliegen der Bewohnerinnen wurden diskutiert. (The concerns of the female residents were discussed.)
🗣️ How to use 'Bewohnerin'?
Die Bewohnerin is used to describe a female person living in a place.
- Everyday life: Frequently used when talking about female neighbors or women living in a specific building or area.
Example: "Die Bewohnerin der Wohnung über mir spielt Klavier." (The female resident in the apartment above me plays the piano.) - Geographically: Can also be used for cities or countries, often synonymously with Einwohnerin. However, Bewohnerin sometimes emphasizes the individual aspect of living there more, while Einwohnerin is often preferred in more official or statistical contexts.
Example: "Sie ist eine langjährige Bewohnerin von Berlin." (She is a long-time female resident of Berlin.) vs. "Berlin hat über 3 Millionen Einwohnerinnen und Einwohner." (Berlin has over 3 million inhabitants. - official count) - In institutions: Describes women living in places like nursing homes, residential homes, etc.
Example: "Die Bewohnerinnen des Seniorenheims treffen sich zum Kaffeeklatsch." (The female residents of the retirement home meet for coffee.)
Distinction from similar words:
- Einwohnerin: Often used in official or statistical contexts for people registered in a municipality, city, or country.
- Mieterin: (Female tenant) Refers specifically to the rental agreement for an apartment or house. A Mieterin is always a Bewohnerin, but not every Bewohnerin is a Mieterin (e.g., Eigentümerin - female owner).
- Insassin: (Female inmate/occupant) Mostly used for people involuntarily staying or residing long-term in a closed facility (e.g., prison, sometimes hospital). Has a more confined connotation.
- Besucherin: (Female visitor) A female person only staying temporarily at a place.
💡 Mnemonics
Article Mnemonic: Remember: Almost all German nouns referring to a female person and ending in -in are feminine and take the article die. Like die Lehrerin (the female teacher), die Ärztin (the female doctor), and thus also die Bewohnerin.
Meaning Mnemonic: Bewohnerin comes from the verb wohnen (to live, to reside). A Bewohnerin is simply a woman who wohnt somewhere.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Bewohnerin
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Einwohnerin: Often synonymous, especially for cities/countries, but tends to be more official.
- Mieterin: Female tenant (more specific).
- Hausbewohnerin: Female house resident (emphasizes the house).
- Anwohnerin: Female resident of a particular street or area, often used in context of local issues like traffic or noise.
- Insassin: Female inmate/occupant (Caution: often negative context!) Female resident of an institution (prison, clinic).
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Nicht-Bewohnerin: Non-resident (general negation).
- Besucherin: Female visitor (temporary stay).
- Fremde: Female stranger/foreigner (someone not from there).
- Durchreisende: Female person passing through.
- Vermieterin: Female landlord/landlady (opposite of Mieterin).
Similar, potentially confusing words:
- Bewunderin: Female admirer (has nothing to do with living somewhere).
😂 A little Joke
German: Fragt eine Touristin eine Bewohnerin: "Entschuldigen Sie, wie komme ich am schnellsten zum Bahnhof?" Antwortet die Bewohnerin: "Sind Sie zu Fuß oder mit dem Auto?" Touristin: "Mit dem Auto." Bewohnerin: "Das ist am schnellsten!"
English Translation: A female tourist asks a female resident: "Excuse me, what's the fastest way to get to the train station?" The resident replies: "Are you on foot or by car?" Tourist: "By car." Resident: "That's the fastest way!"
✒️ Poem about a Bewohnerin
German:
Im Haus Nummer vier, ganz oben unterm Dach,
lebt die Bewohnerin, hält Herz und Fenster wach.
Sie gießt die Blumen, schaut ins Land,
kennt jeden Stein und jeden Sand.
Mit off'nem Ohr und warmem Blick,
ist sie vom Haus das gute Stück.
English Translation:
In house number four, right under the roof's peak,
lives the female resident, heart and window awake.
She waters flowers, gazes far,
knows every stone and sandy bar.
With open ear and gaze so warm,
she's the house's gentle charm.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich bin weiblich und habe ein Heim,
ob groß, ob klein, ob Haus, ob Reim.
Ich zahle Miete oder mir gehört der Stein,
an diesem Ort bin ich daheim.
Mein männliches Gegenstück hat keinen Rock,
man findet mich in jedem Stock.
Wer bin ich?
English Translation:
I am female and have a home,
whether large or small, a house or a poem's dome.
I pay rent or the stone is my own,
in this place, I'm domestically known.
My male counterpart wears no skirt,
you find me on every level, not inert.
Who am I? (Solution: die Bewohnerin / the female resident)
🧩 Word Details
Word Composition:
The word Bewohnerin is derived from the verb bewohnen (to inhabit, to occupy) and the feminine suffix -in. The prefix be- makes the verb transitive (to inhabit *something*).
- be- (prefix)
- wohnen (verb: to live, reside)
- -er (suffix forming the male agent noun: der Bewohner)
- -in (suffix forming the female noun: die Bewohnerin)
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Bewohnerin?
The noun "Bewohnerin" is always feminine. Therefore, the correct article is exclusively die: die Bewohnerin (singular) and die Bewohnerinnen (plural).