der Esel, –
donkey
Ein Haustier mit langen Ohren, das oft Lasten trägt und dem Pferd ähnlich sieht.
Definition & meaning
Esel means donkey or ass, the domesticated hoofed animal related to the horse.
It is also used figuratively as an insult for a person who is considered stupid, clumsy, careless, or stubborn. Depending on the context, it can be seriously insulting or used teasingly among familiar people.
- Literal: Der Esel trägt schwere Lasten. — “The donkey carries heavy loads.”
- Figurative: Sei kein Esel! — “Don’t be stupid!” / “Don’t be an idiot!”
Grammar & Word origin
- Masculine noun: der Esel
- Plural: die Esel
- The word has no distinct plural ending.
- The modern German word is not transparently composed of smaller German parts. It developed from Middle High German esel, ultimately related to Latin asinus and Greek ónos, both meaning “donkey.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
For the animal:
- das Grautier — literally “gray animal”; a more descriptive and somewhat less common term for a donkey.
- der Hausesel — specifically a domestic donkey, in contrast to wild donkey species.
As an insult:
- der Dummkopf — “fool” or “simpleton”; usually focuses on a lack of intelligence.
- der Idiot — “idiot”; generally harsher and more direct.
- der Trottel — “idiot” or “moron”; often colloquial and somewhat less formal.
- der Narr — “fool”; literary, old-fashioned, or theatrical in tone.
Unlike these more general insults, Esel often additionally suggests stubbornness or a foolish action, not only low intelligence.
There is no exact antonym for Esel in its literal meaning. In the figurative sense, contrasting words include:
These are contextual opposites rather than direct lexical antonyms.
Common phrases & collocations
- ein störrischer Esel — “a stubborn donkey”; also used figuratively for a very stubborn person.
- ein Esel sein — “to be an idiot” or “to behave foolishly.”
- jemanden einen Esel nennen — “to call someone an idiot.”
- Eselsohr — literally “donkey’s ear”; a folded-down corner of a page, or the folded corner itself.
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Examples
Der Esel frisst Heu.noun
The donkey is eating hay.
Zwei Esel laufen auf dem Feld.noun
Two donkeys run in the field.
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