das Mädchen
girl · young woman
A Mädchen is a girl or young woman. It is a neuter noun, so it takes 'das' and pronouns like 'es', even though it refers to a female person. Germans use it for children and teenagers, and sometimes affectionately for adult women.
What Mädchen means
- girl — a female child or teenager
- young woman — informal, sometimes affectionate
Heard in real German videos
Lines where Mädchen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Ich bin ein Mädchen.I'm a girl.
- Das Mädchen hält sich für schön.The girl thinks she's pretty.
- Hier bitte, kleines Mädchen.Here you go, little girl.
Example sentences
- Das Mädchen spielt im Garten.The girl is playing in the garden.
- Ich kenne ein Mädchen aus Berlin.I know a girl from Berlin.
- Die Mädchen lachen laut.The girls are laughing loudly.
- Er hat ein kleines Mädchen gesehen.He saw a little girl.
Grammar
| Gender | neuter |
|---|---|
| Plural | die Mädchen |
| Genitive | des Mädchens |
| Declension | regular noun: -s in genitive singular, plural unchanged |
Even though Mädchen refers to a female, it is grammatically neuter. Use 'das Mädchen' and 'es' when referring back to it.
Common phrases
- kleines Mädchenlittle girl
- großes Mädchenbig girl
- Mädchen für allesgirl Friday, general dogsbody
The mistake English speakers make
Using the feminine article 'die' or pronoun 'sie' because the word refers to a female. Remember: it's 'das Mädchen' and 'es'.
Don’t confuse it with
- die Frau — Frau means woman, an adult female; Mädchen means girl, typically a child or teenager.
- das Fräulein — Fräulein is an outdated term for an unmarried woman, now rarely used; Mädchen is the standard word for girl.
Questions learners ask
Why is Mädchen neuter in German?
Mädchen ends with the diminutive suffix -chen, which always makes a noun neuter in German, regardless of the natural gender of the person or thing.
What is the plural of Mädchen?
The plural is also Mädchen, but with the plural article 'die': die Mädchen. The singular and plural forms are identical.
Can Mädchen be used for adult women?
Yes, sometimes Mädchen is used informally or affectionately for young adult women, similar to 'girl' in English, but it can be considered patronizing in some contexts.