die
Klägerin
📖 What does "die Klägerin" mean?
Die Klägerin (noun, feminine) refers to a female person who files a claim or lawsuit in court against another person or institution. She is the one initiating the legal process to enforce a specific right or obtain compensation.
It is the feminine form of the word der Kläger (the male plaintiff/claimant).
In a legal context, die Klägerin is the party who sues, as opposed to die Beklagte (the female defendant).
Example: Die Klägerin forderte Schadensersatz wegen Vertragsbruchs. (The plaintiff demanded damages for breach of contract.)
🚨 Important: The word is almost exclusively used in a legal context.
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 Klägerin
The word "Klägerin" is a feminine noun. The article is "die". It follows the weak declension pattern for feminine nouns.
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die | Klägerin |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der | Klägerin |
| Dative (To whom?) | der | Klägerin |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die | Klägerin |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Klägerinnen |
| Genitive | der | Klägerinnen |
| Dative | den | Klägerinnen |
| Accusative | die | Klägerinnen |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die Klägerin erschien pünktlich zur Gerichtsverhandlung. (The plaintiff appeared on time for the court hearing.)
- Der Anwalt vertrat die Interessen der Klägerin. (The lawyer represented the interests of the plaintiff.)
- Das Gericht gab der Klägerin Recht. (The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff.)
- Der Richter befragte die Klägerin ausführlich. (The judge questioned the plaintiff in detail.)
- Mehrere Klägerinnen schlossen sich der Sammelklage an. (Several plaintiffs joined the class action lawsuit.)
💼 Usage in Context
The term die Klägerin is used specifically in a legal environment.
- Legal Context: Refers to the female party filing a civil lawsuit. In criminal law, one might speak of die Nebenklägerin (a private individual joining the prosecution's charges) or die Anzeigenerstatterin (the person who reported the crime).
- Distinction: Die Klägerin is the one who demands or sues. The opposing party is die Beklagte (the female defendant in a civil case) or die Angeklagte (the female accused in a criminal case).
- Formality: It's a formal term used in legal documents, judgments, and legal discussions. It is rarely used in everyday language outside of legal matters.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: Feminine roles or professions in German often end in "-in" and take the feminine article "die" (e.g., die Ärztin - female doctor, die Lehrerin - female teacher). The same applies here: die Klägerin.
Meaning Mnemonic: A Klägerin makes a Klage (complaint, lawsuit). She 'complains' (klagt) about an injustice and seeks judicial clarification. The core verb is klagen.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Antragstellerin: Female applicant (can be broader than just a lawsuit).
- Anspruchstellerin: Female claimant (often synonymous with Klägerin in civil law).
- (Colloquial or context-dependent): Beschwerdeführerin (female complainant)
Antonyms (Opposites):
- Beklagte: Female defendant (in a civil lawsuit).
- Angeklagte: Female accused (in a criminal trial).
- Antragsgegnerin: Female respondent (in application proceedings).
⚠️ Caution: These terms are specific to the type of legal proceeding (civil, criminal, application) and are not always interchangeable.
😄 A Little Joke
Richter zur Klägerin: "Können Sie den Mann beschreiben, der Ihr Auto gestohlen hat?"
Klägerin: "Nicht direkt, aber ich habe mir sein Kennzeichen gemerkt!"
Translation:
Judge to the plaintiff: "Can you describe the man who stole your car?"
Plaintiff: "Not really, but I did get his license plate number!"
📜 A Short Poem
Im Saal des Rechts, mit ernster Miene,
steht sie auf, die Klägerin, die kühne.
Sie fordert Recht, sie klagt es ein,
will Gerechtigkeit, so soll es sein.
Mit Argumenten, klar und fest,
hofft sie zu bestehen den harten Test.
Translation:
In the hall of justice, with a serious face,
She stands up, the plaintiff, bold in this place.
She demands her rights, she makes her plea,
Wants justice served, for all to see.
With arguments, both clear and strong,
She hopes to pass the test, where she belongs.
🤔 Riddle Time
Ich bin eine Frau, doch nicht im Spiel,
vor Gericht verfolge ich mein Ziel.
Ich reiche ein, was man 'Klage' nennt,
gegen den, den man 'Beklagten' kennt.
Wer bin ich?
... Die Klägerin
Translation:
I am a woman, but not in a game,
In court, pursuing my aim.
I file what is called a 'Klage' (lawsuit),
Against the one known as the 'Beklagte' (defendant), no doubt.
Who am I?
... The female plaintiff (die Klägerin)
💡 Other Information
Word Formation:
The word "Klägerin" is derived (through a process called Movierung in German linguistics) from the masculine noun "der Kläger".
- Root verb: klagen (to complain, to sue)
- Masculine form: der Kläger (nominalization of the verb + agent marker)
- Feminine form: die Klägerin (adding the suffix "-in" to the masculine form)
This "-in" ending is typical for forming feminine personal nouns in German.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Klägerin?
The word "Klägerin" is feminine. The correct article is die Klägerin. It refers to a female person who files a lawsuit in court.