der Junge
boy · guys, lads, boys
Der Junge means 'boy' and is the standard word for a male child or young person. It is also used as a familiar address among friends, similar to 'guys' or 'dude' in English.
What Junge means
- boy — referring to a male child or young male person
- guys, lads, boys — informal address to a group of male friends or mixed group
Heard in real German videos
Lines where Junge was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Der Junge hat Talent.The boy has talent.
- Nur ein kleiner Junge.Just a little boy.
Example sentences
- Der Junge spielt im Garten.The boy is playing in the garden.
- Ich kenne den Jungen nicht.I don't know the boy.
- Die Jungen spielen Fußball.The boys are playing soccer.
- Jungs, kommt mal her!Guys, come here!
Grammar
| Gender | masculine |
|---|---|
| Plural | die Jungen / die Jungs |
| Genitive | des Jungen |
| Declension | weak noun: -n in all cases except nominative singular |
Junge is a weak masculine noun: it adds -n in accusative, dative, and genitive singular, and the plural is Jungen or Jungs.
Common phrases
- Junge, Junge!Boy, oh boy! (expressing surprise or exasperation)
- alter Jungeold boy (affectionate term for a male friend)
- ein Junge aus gutem Hausea boy from a good family
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often forget that Junge is a weak noun and say 'der Junge' in accusative instead of 'den Jungen'. Remember: after verbs like sehen, kennen, lieben, use 'den Jungen'.
Don’t confuse it with
- jung — jung is an adjective meaning 'young', while der Junge is the noun meaning 'boy'.
Questions learners ask
What is the plural of Junge?
The plural is 'die Jungen' or 'die Jungs'. 'Jungs' is more colloquial and common in spoken German.
How do you decline Junge?
Junge is a weak noun: der Junge (nominative), den Jungen (accusative), dem Jungen (dative), des Jungen (genitive). The standard plural is die Jungen (nominative/accusative), den Jungen (dative), der Jungen (genitive). The colloquial plural Jungs is typically not inflected: die Jungs, den Jungs, der Jungs.
Can Junge be used to address someone?
Yes, 'Junge' or 'Jungs' is used informally to address a male friend or a group, similar to 'dude' or 'guys'.