das Mädchen, –
girl
Ein junges weibliches Kind oder eine junge Frau, die noch nicht erwachsen ist.
Definition & meaning
The word Mädchen refers to a female child or a young woman.
- Young girl: It is commonly used to describe a child who is female.
- Young woman: In casual conversation, it can also refer to a young woman, though the nuance can vary depending on the context and the speaker's tone.
- Waitress (dated/regional): In older German or specific regional dialects, it was occasionally used to refer to a waitress (Bedienung) or a housemaid (Dienstmädchen), although this usage is now considered outdated or potentially derogatory.
Grammar & Word origin
The word Mädchen is a neuter noun (das). It is a diminutive form of the Middle High German word maget, which means "maid" or "virgin." The suffix -chen is used in German to create diminutives, turning Magd (maid) into Mädchen (little maid). Because all nouns ending in -chen are grammatically neuter, the word retains the article das.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Kind (child)
- Junge Dame[?](vocabuo://word/junge Dame) (young lady)
- Tochter (daughter)
- Fräulein (miss - historically common, now mostly formal or old-fashioned)
Antonyms:
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Examples
Das Mädchen spielt im Park.noun
The girl is playing in the park.
Ein Mädchen liest ein Buch.noun
A girl is reading a book.
Das Mädchen spielt im Garten.noun
The girl plays in the garden.
Das Mädchen liest ein Buch.noun
The girl is reading a book.
Mädchen spielen gerne im Park.noun
Girls like to play in the park.
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