die
Mieterin
🧐 What exactly is a Mieterin?
Die Mieterin (plural: die Mieterinnen) refers to a female person who rents an apartment (Wohnung), house (Haus), room (Zimmer), or another property or item in exchange for payment (die Miete - the rent). She is the contractual partner of the landlord (der Vermieter or die Vermieterin).
It is the feminine form of the word der Mieter (male tenant).
Because the word ends in -in, it is grammatically feminine and takes the article die.
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 Mieterin" in Detail
The noun "Mieterin" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always "die". It does not follow the n-declension but declines regularly for feminine nouns.
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun | English Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die | Mieterin | Subject |
| Genitiv | der | Mieterin | Possessive |
| Dativ | der | Mieterin | Indirect Object |
| Akkusativ | die | Mieterin | Direct Object |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun | English Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die | Mieterinnen | Subject |
| Genitiv | der | Mieterinnen | Possessive |
| Dativ | den | Mieterinnen | Indirect Object |
| Akkusativ | die | Mieterinnen | Direct Object |
Example Sentences
- Die Mieterin zahlt ihre Miete immer pünktlich.
(The female tenant always pays her rent on time.) - Der Brief ist an die Mieterin adressiert.
(The letter is addressed to the female tenant.) - Der Vermieter sprach mit der Mieterin über die Nebenkostenabrechnung.
(The landlord spoke with the female tenant about the utility bill statement.) - Die Rechte der Mieterin sind im Mietvertrag festgehalten.
(The rights of the female tenant are specified in the rental agreement.) - Alle Mieterinnen des Hauses wurden zur Versammlung eingeladen.
(All female tenants of the building were invited to the meeting.)
🏠 How is "die Mieterin" used?
The word "Mieterin" is used in everyday language as well as in formal contexts such as rental agreements (Mietverträge) or legal documents.
- Everyday use: People talk about the "neue Mieterin" (new female tenant) in the building or the "Mieterin von nebenan" (female tenant next door).
- Contractual/Legal context: In rental agreements, the female person renting is referred to as "Mieterin".
- Distinction: It is important to distinguish the Mieterin (the one who rents) from the Vermieterin (the female landlord, the one who rents out).
⚠️ Sometimes people mistakenly try to create gender-neutral forms, but in standard German, "Mieter" (male) and "Mieterin" (female) are the correct terms. For mixed groups or when the gender is unknown, the generic masculine ("Mieter") or a neutral formulation like "Mietpartei" (renting party) or "Mietende" (renting person/people) is often used.
💡 Mnemonics for Mieterin
For the article "die": Remember that nouns for female persons ending in -in are almost always feminine in German. Think of Lehrerin (female teacher), Ärztin (female doctor), Köchin (female cook) – and also Mieterin. They all need die!
For the meaning: Connect Mieterin to the verb mieten (to rent). Imagine the female tenant saying "Me? Ten out of ten for this apartment I'm renting!" Ok, it's a stretch, but maybe the connection to mieten is easier: Die Frau, die mietet, ist die Mieterin.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Words with similar meaning):
- Wohnungsnutzerin: (Female) apartment user - More formal or official term.
- Bewohnerin: Female resident/inhabitant - More general, doesn't necessarily imply renting (could be an owner).
- Pächterin: Female lessee/leaseholder - Similar, but usually refers to lease agreements (Pachtverträge), often for land, gardens, restaurants, not standard apartment rentals.
Antonyms (Opposites):
- Vermieterin: Female landlord/landlady - The person who rents out the property.
- Eigentümerin/Besitzerin: Female owner/proprietor - The person who owns the property.
- Hausherrin: Lady of the house - Often used synonymously with female owner or landlady, emphasizing control over the house.
Similar but different terms:
- Untermieterin: Female subtenant/subletter - A woman who rents part of an apartment from the main tenant (Hauptmieterin or Hauptmieter).
😂 A Little Joke
German: Fragt die Freundin die Mieterin: "Warum suchst du schon wieder eine neue Wohnung?" Antwortet die Mieterin: "Meine Vermieterin hat gesagt, ich wohne hier mietfrei." Freundin: "Das ist doch super!" Mieterin: "Naja, sie sagte: 'Die Wohnung ist ihr Geld nicht wert!'"
English Translation: A friend asks the female tenant: "Why are you looking for a new apartment again?" The tenant replies: "My landlady told me I live here rent-free." Friend: "That's great!" Tenant: "Well, she said: 'The apartment isn't worth the money!'"
✍️ Poem about the Mieterin
German:
Im Haus, da wohnt seit kurzem nun,
'ne nette Mieterin, hat viel zu tun.
Sie zahlt die Miete, hält den Flur schön rein,
und hofft, die Nachbarn lassen sie auch freundlich sein.
Sie träumt vom eignen Haus, doch bis dahin,
ist sie zufrieden hier als Mieterin.
English Translation:
In the house, there lives since recently,
A nice female tenant, busy as can be.
She pays the rent, keeps the hallway neat and clean,
And hopes the neighbours will also be friendly and keen.
She dreams of her own house, but until that day,
She's content as a tenant here, come what may.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich wohne hier, doch 's ist nicht mein,
Ich zahl' dafür, um drin zu sein.
Bin weiblich, nicht der Hausherr, nein.
Wer bin ich wohl? Sag's mir, sei fein!
Lösung: die Mieterin
English Translation:
I live here, but it isn't mine,
I pay for it, to be inside.
I'm female, not the master, no.
Who am I then? Tell me, make it so!
Answer: die Mieterin (the female tenant)
🧩 Word Building Blocks: Where does "Mieterin" come from?
The word "Mieterin" is derived as follows:
- Root word: The verb mieten (to rent).
- Derivation 1: der Mieter (male person who rents; formed with the suffix -er).
- Derivation 2: die Mieterin (female form; formed by adding the suffix -in to the male form).
The noun die Miete refers to the amount of money paid for the use (the rent).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Mieterin?
The word "Mieterin" is feminine, so the correct article is die. It refers to a female tenant, someone who rents property (usually housing).