die
Kundin
🛍️ What does "die Kundin" mean?
Die Kundin is a feminine noun and refers to a female person who buys goods or uses a service. It's the female equivalent of the word der Kunde (the male customer).
Unlike its male counterpart der Kunde, die Kundin exclusively refers to women or girls acting as buyers or clients.
Example: Die Kundin war mit dem Service sehr zufrieden. (The female customer was very satisfied with the service.)
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 Kundin" in Detail
The word "Kundin" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always "die". It follows the weak n-declension pattern for feminine nouns ending in "-in", where "-nen" is added in the plural.
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die | Kundin |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der | Kundin |
| Dative (To whom?) | der | Kundin |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die | Kundin |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kundinnen |
| Genitive | der | Kundinnen |
| Dative | den | Kundinnen |
| Accusative | die | Kundinnen |
Example Sentences 📝
- Die nette Kundin kaufte drei Brote.
(The nice female customer bought three loaves of bread.) - Das Anliegen der Kundin wurde sofort bearbeitet.
(The female customer's request was processed immediately.) - Der Verkäufer half der Kundin bei der Auswahl.
(The salesman helped the female customer with the selection.) - Wir begrüßen die Kundin herzlich.
(We warmly welcome the female customer.) - Viele Kundinnen warteten schon vor der Tür.
(Many female customers were already waiting in front of the door.) - Die Wünsche der Kundinnen sind uns wichtig.
(The wishes of the female customers are important to us.) - Der Rabatt gilt nur für unsere Stammkundinnen.
(The discount is only valid for our regular female customers. - Note the compound noun) - Das Geschäft schätzt seine treuen Kundinnen.
(The shop values its loyal female customers.)
🗣️ How to use "Kundin" correctly
"Die Kundin" is always used when specifically referring to a female person who is buying something or using a service.
- In a shop: "Die nächste Kundin, bitte!" (The next female customer, please!)
- In customer service: "Unsere Kundin Frau Müller hat angerufen." (Our customer Ms. Müller called.)
- In advertising: Often attempts are made to specifically address female customers (Kundinnen).
It's important to use the feminine form when the gender is known and female, to be accurate and respectful. The masculine form is "der Kunde". When referring to a mixed group of customers, the plural "die Kunden" is often used, although "die Kundinnen und Kunden" (female and male customers) or gender-neutral terms like "die Kundschaft" (the clientele/customer base) are becoming more common to explicitly include all genders.
⚠️ Avoid saying "der Kunde" when you clearly mean a woman. Correct is: "Die Kundin ist am Telefon." (The female customer is on the phone.) (Not: Der Kunde ist am Telefon. if it's a woman).
🧠 Mnemonics for "die Kundin"
Mnemonic for the article "die":
Think of the typical feminine ending "-in" in German for professions or roles (Lehrerin - female teacher, Ärztin - female doctor, Freundin - female friend/girlfriend). It's the same for die Kundin – the "-in" signals: feminine! Die Frau (the woman), die Kundin.
Mnemonic for the meaning:
A Kundin is a woman who makes her wishes kund (known/manifest) – namely, shopping or using services! She lets you know what she wants. (The German verb 'kundtun' means 'to make known').
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Words with similar meaning):
- Käuferin: (Female buyer) Emphasizes the act of buying.
- Abnehmerin: (Female taker/purchaser) Refers to someone receiving goods or services (often in a business context).
- Klientin: (Female client) More commonly used for services, e.g., with lawyers, therapists.
- Interessentin: (Female interested party) A woman who could potentially become a customer but hasn't bought anything yet.
Antonyms (Opposites):
- Verkäuferin: (Female seller/saleswoman) The person offering goods or services.
- Anbieterin: (Female provider/supplier) Similar to Verkäuferin, often for services or on a larger scale.
- Herstellerin: (Female manufacturer/producer) The person or company that produced the product.
Related Terms:
- Der Kunde: The male counterpart.
- Die Kundschaft: (The clientele/customer base) Refers to all customers collectively (male and female).
- Der Konsument / Die Konsumentin: (Male/Female consumer) Similar to Kunde/Kundin, emphasizes consumption.
😂 A Little Joke
Eine Kundin beschwert sich beim Kellner: "Entschuldigen Sie, aber in meiner Suppe schwimmt eine Fliege!"
Darauf der Kellner: "Keine Sorge, gnädige Frau, die schwimmt nicht mehr lange. Sehen Sie die Spinne am Tellerrand?"
Translation:
A female customer complains to the waiter: "Excuse me, but there's a fly swimming in my soup!"
The waiter replies: "Don't worry, madam, it won't be swimming for long. Do you see the spider on the edge of the plate?"
📜 Poem about a Kundin
Die Kundin im Laden schaut,
was ihr Herz begehrt, ganz laut.
Mit Tasche groß und wachem Blick,
findet sie ihr Wunsch-Stück.
Sie fragt und prüft, vergleicht geschwind,
zahlt dann lächelnd, wie ein Kind.
Zufrieden geht sie aus der Tür,
die nette Kundin, das sind wir!
Translation:
The female customer looks in the shop,
what her heart desires, quite out loud.
With a big bag and a watchful eye,
she finds her desired piece.
She asks and checks, compares quickly,
then pays smiling, like a child.
Satisfied, she walks out the door,
the nice female customer, that's us!
❓ Who am I? A Riddle
Ich bin weiblich und kaufe gern ein,
ob im Geschäft oder auch online, ganz fein.
Ich nehme Dienste in Anspruch, mal hier und mal dort,
bin für den Umsatz ein wichtiger Hort.
Die männliche Form endet auf "e",
meine auf "in", das ist doch okay?
Wer bin ich? (Auflösung: Die Kundin)
Translation:
I am female and like to shop,
whether in a store or online, just fine.
I use services, sometimes here, sometimes there,
I am an important haven for revenue.
The masculine form ends in "e",
mine ends in "in", that's okay, right?
Who am I?
(Answer: Die Kundin / The female customer)
💡 Other Information
Word Composition:
The word "Kundin" is derived from the masculine noun "Kunde". It is formed by adding the suffix -in, which is a typical way in German to create feminine forms of nouns referring to people (e.g., Lehrer -> Lehrerin [female teacher], Arzt -> Ärztin [female doctor]).
Politeness:
Addressing female customers correctly (Kundinnen) is very important in business. Using "Frau" + Last Name (e.g., "Guten Tag, Frau Schmidt" - Good day, Ms. Schmidt) is the standard polite form of address.
Gender Note:
German often uses distinct masculine and feminine forms for people. Using the correct form, like die Kundin for a woman, is generally considered more precise and respectful than using the generic masculine form.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kundin?
The word "Kundin" is always feminine. The correct article is exclusively die: die Kundin.