die  Eigentümerin

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tʏːmɐɪ̯n/

🧐 What exactly is an 'Eigentümerin'?

Die Eigentümerin is a female person who legally owns something. She has the full right of disposal over her property (e.g., a house, a car, a company).

It is the feminine form of the word der Eigentümer (the male owner).

Examples of property (Eigentum):

• 🏡 A property (Immobilie) like a house (Haus) or apartment (Wohnung)
• 🚗 A vehicle (Fahrzeug) like a car (Auto) or bicycle (Fahrrad)
• 🏢 A company (Unternehmen) or business shares (Geschäftsanteile)
• 💍 Valuables (Wertgegenstände) like jewelry (Schmuck) or art (Kunst)

The term emphasizes legal ownership (rechtliches Eigentum), as opposed to mere possession (Besitz - someone has something but doesn't necessarily own it legally).

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar of 'die Eigentümerin'

The word 'die Eigentümerin' is a feminine noun. It is declined as follows:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Eigentümerin des Hauses wohnt im Ausland.
   (The female owner of the house lives abroad.)
2. Das Auto gehört der Eigentümerin, nicht ihrem Bruder.
   (The car belongs to the female owner, not her brother.)
3. Wir haben die Eigentümerin der Wohnung gestern getroffen.
   (We met the female owner of the apartment yesterday.)
4. Die Rechte der Eigentümerinnen wurden im Vertrag festgelegt.
   (The rights of the female owners were defined in the contract.)

🗣️ How to use 'Eigentümerin'?

The term 'Eigentümerin' is primarily used in formal, legal, and economic contexts when it's important to specify the gender of the person who owns something.

• Legal contexts: In contracts (Verträge), land registers (Grundbücher), inheritance matters (Erbschaftsangelegenheiten). Example: Laut Grundbuch ist Frau Müller die alleinige Eigentümerin. (According to the land register, Ms. Müller is the sole female owner.)
• Economic contexts: Regarding company ownership (Unternehmensbesitz), property management (Immobilienverwaltung). Example: Die Eigentümerin des Ladens entscheidet über das Sortiment. (The female owner of the shop decides on the product range.)
• Everyday language: Less common; often, the more neutral term 'Besitzerin' (female possessor) is used if the legal aspect is not the main focus. However, 'Eigentümerin' emphasizes the formal right. Example: Die Eigentümerin beschwerte sich über den Lärm. (The female owner complained about the noise.)

Difference to 'Besitzerin': A Besitzerin has actual control over an item (she currently has it), but doesn't necessarily have to be the Eigentümerin (e.g., a female tenant - Mieterin - is the Besitzerin of the apartment, but not the Eigentümerin). An Eigentümerin holds the legal title to the item.

⚠️ Be careful to distinguish 'Eigentümerin' (feminine) from 'Eigentümer' (masculine).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Mnemonic for the article:

Think of the feminine ending "-in" for professions and roles for women in German: die Lehrerin (female teacher), die Ärztin (female doctor), die Eigentümerin. The "-in" ending calls for the article "die"!

Mnemonic for the meaning:

An Eigentümerin has her own things ('eigen' means 'own' in German). The word 'eigen' is right there inside! And the ending "-in" tells you: It's a woman! She's the boss of her own domain.

↔️ Antonyms and Similar Words

Potential for confusion: Sometimes 'Besitzerin' is incorrectly used as a complete synonym for 'Eigentümerin'. In a legal sense, however, there is a difference!

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Richter die Angeklagte: "Sind Sie die Eigentümerin des gestohlenen Schmucks?"
Antwortet sie: "Nein, Herr Richter, ich bin nur die Besitzerin. Der Eigentümer sitzt im Urlaub!"

Translation: The judge asks the defendant: "Are you the owner (Eigentümerin) of the stolen jewelry?"
She replies: "No, Your Honor, I am only the possessor (Besitzerin). The owner (Eigentümer) is on vacation!"

(The joke plays on the difference between possession - Besitz - and ownership - Eigentum.)

📜 A Little Poem

Das Haus am See, so schön und rein,
gehört ihr ganz allein.
Die Eigentümerin, stolz und froh,
pflegt ihren Garten ebenso.
Mit Recht und Titel, ganz legal,
ist sie die Herrin, ohne Wahl
für andre, die nur mieten hier,
sie hält das Zepter, glaubt es mir!

Translation:
The house by the lake, so nice and pure,
belongs entirely to her, for sure.
The female owner, proud and glad,
tends her garden, it's not bad.
With title and right, quite legally,
she is the mistress, you see,
for others who only rent this place,
she holds the sceptre, with firm grace!

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin eine Frau, mir gehört das Land,
das Haus, das Auto, alles aus meiner Hand.
Im Grundbuch steht mein Name klar,
wer bin ich wohl? Sag's, wunderbar!

Translation:
I am a woman, the land belongs to me,
the house, the car, all from my decree.
In the land register, my name is stated clear,
who am I then? Tell me, my dear!

Solution: Die Eigentümerin (The female owner)

💡 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word 'Eigentümerin' is a derivative:

• eigen: Adjective, meaning 'own'.
• -tum: Suffix denoting a state or collective (like in Reichtum - wealth, Christentum - Christianity). Historically related to power/authority here.
• -er: Suffix denoting a person who does something or to whom something is attributed (der Eigentümer - the male owner).
• -in: Suffix forming the feminine version.

So: eigen + (Tüm)-er + -in → the female person to whom something of her own belongs.

Masculine Form:

The male equivalent is der Eigentümer.