die
Enkelin
👩👧👦 What exactly does "die Enkelin" mean?
The word die Enkelin refers to the daughter of one's own son or daughter. So, it's a person's female grandchild.
- It's the feminine form of the word der Enkel (grandson).
- The article is always die because it refers to a female person (grammatical gender = feminine). ♀️
- There are no other meanings or articles for this word.
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 Enkelin" in Detail
"Enkelin" is a feminine noun. It follows the n-declension in the plural, meaning it ends in "-nen" in all plural cases.
Declension Singular
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die Enkelin | eine Enkelin |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der Enkelin | einer Enkelin |
| Dative (To whom?) | der Enkelin | einer Enkelin |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die Enkelin | eine Enkelin |
Declension Plural
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Enkelinnen | (keine) Enkelinnen |
| Genitive | der Enkelinnen | (keiner) Enkelinnen |
| Dative | den Enkelinnen | (keinen) Enkelinnen |
| Accusative | die Enkelinnen | (keine) Enkelinnen |
💡 Example Sentences
- Meine Enkelin spielt gerne im Garten.
(My granddaughter likes to play in the garden.) - Der Opa erzählt seiner Enkelin eine Geschichte.
(Grandpa tells his granddaughter a story.) - Wir haben zwei Enkelinnen und einen Enkel.
(We have two granddaughters and one grandson.) - Das ist das Fahrrad meiner jüngsten Enkelin.
(That is my youngest granddaughter's bicycle.)
💬 How to use "Enkelin"?
"Die Enkelin" is used exclusively in the context of family relationships. It describes the kinship between grandparents and the female child of their children.
🧠 Mnemonics for "Enkelin"
Article Mnemonic: Think of "die Frau" (the woman). An Enkelin is female, hence die Enkelin. The suffix "-in" almost always signals a feminine article (die) in German for people.
Meaning Mnemonic: "Enkelin" might sound a bit like "ankle" to an English speaker - imagine a little granddaughter playing at her grandparent's ankles. Or imagine Grandma calling her little granddaughter "Engelchen" (little angel), which sounds similar to Enkelin.
↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms
There are no direct synonyms for "Enkelin" as it's a specific family term. Sometimes terms of endearment are used, but they are not synonyms:
⚠️ Caution: Do not confuse Enkelin with Nichte (niece - daughter of one's brother/sister).
😂 A Little Joke
Warum hat die Enkelin immer Kekse dabei?
Weil ihre Oma eine Krümel-Queen ist! 🍪👑
Translation: Why does the granddaughter always have cookies with her?
Because her grandma is a crumb queen!
✍️ Poem about the Enkelin
Kleine Enkelin, Sonnenschein,
Bringst Freude in das Haus hinein.
Mit Lachen hell und Augen klar,
Bist Omas, Opas größter Star.
Die Tochter unsres Kinds, so lieb,
Du bist ein wahrer Herzensdieb.
Translation:
Little granddaughter, sunshine bright,
You bring joy into the house's light.
With laughter clear and eyes so keen,
Grandma's, Grandpa's biggest star, you've been.
The daughter of our child, so dear,
A true heart-thief, you are, it's clear.
❓ Little Riddle
Ich bin die Tochter deiner Tochter,
oder auch die deines Sohns.
Für Oma und Opa bin ich wichtig,
wer bin ich, rate nun gewisslich?
Translation:
I am the daughter of your daughter,
or also the one of your son.
For Grandma and Grandpa I am important,
who am I, guess now for certain?
Solution: die Enkelin (the granddaughter)
🧩 Other Information
Word Composition:
The word "Enkelin" is derived from the word "Enkel" (grandson) by adding the feminine suffix "-in".
- Enkel: Originally from Old High German 'eninchilī' (little ancestor/relative).
- -in: Suffix used to form feminine versions of nouns referring to people.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Enkelin?
The word Enkelin is feminine, so the correct article is always die. There are no other articles or meanings associated with this word. The plural form is die Enkelinnen.