The diminutive
Understanding grammar is key to understanding a language.
German grammar tips with Wunderbla, online German lessons.
The diminutive
We use the diminutive form ‑chen to indicate that something is “small” or “cute”. It can be added to most nouns in German.
das Tier das Tierchen
the animal the little animal, the little critter
der Stern das Sternchen
the star the little star
If the noun contains an a, o or u we generally add an umlaut to it. We also generally remove the final ‑e, if there is one.
der Schatz das Schätzchen
the treasure little treasure, darling, sweetheart
die Torte das Törtchen
the cake the little cake
die Blume das Blümchen
the flower the cute little flower
Notes:
- All diminutive nouns are neuter.
der Haifisch das Haifischchen
the shark the baby shark
die Katze das Kätzchen
the cat the pussycat, the kitten
- The alternative diminutive ending -lein is mainly used for words that end in ‑ch. It can be used with other words too, but that sounds somewhat old-fashioned.
das Buch das Büchlein
the book the little book
Taking your learning further
Still facing difficulties with 'The diminutive'? Improve your German with Wunderbla - try our German lessons for free now and receive a free level assessment!
Do you know any tips to avoid making mistakes with 'The diminutive'? Share it with us!
Improve your German further and test Wunderbla, online German lessons.