German · People & Family

"Boy" in German: Junge

der Junge

Say it: YOONG-ehmasculine · der Jungenoun/ˈjʊŋə/

Boy in German is der Junge, masculine. The plural is die Jungen. Weak-noun forms need den Jungen in the accusative singular.

Playground

Der Junge mit dem Ball ist mein Neffe.
The boy with the ball is my nephew.
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How to pronounce Junge

Say it

YOONG-eh

/ˈjʊŋə/

YOONG-eh. J like English y. Soft final e. Stress the first syllable.

"Boy" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
der Jungethe boy

Masculine weak noun.

die Jungenthe boys

Plural.

Junge!kid! / mate! (vocative)

Can address a boy—or casually a man in some regions.

der Bubboy

Southern/Austrian everyday word.

How to use Junge in real life

  1. 1Playground

    Der Junge mit dem Ball ist mein Neffe.

    The boy with the ball is my nephew.

    Der Junge nominative.

  2. 2School gate

    Kennst du den Jungen aus der dritten Klasse?

    Do you know the boy from third grade?

    Den Jungen accusative.

  3. 3Sports day

    Die Jungen spielen auf dem linken Feld.

    The boys are playing on the left field.

    Die Jungen plural.

Mistakes English speakers make with Junge

Incorrect: Ich sehe der Junge.

Correct: Ich sehe den Jungen.

Weak masculine: accusative den Jungen.

Incorrect: Die Junge lacht.

Correct: Der Junge lacht.

Singular is der Junge; die Jungen is plural.

Good to know

Junge is neutral for a male child. Among adults in the north, Junge can be a friendly form of address—tone decides whether it feels warm or rough.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Watching a school football match

  1. ChatPal

    Welcher Junge ist dein Sohn?

    Which boy is your son?

  2. You

    Der Junge mit der gelben Weste.

    The boy with the yellow vest.

  3. ChatPal

    Der Junge sprintet echt gut.

    That boy really sprints well.

  4. You

    Ja. Die anderen Jungen kommen kaum hinterher.

    Yes. The other boys can barely keep up.

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"Boy" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Boy" in German

Why den Jungen not den Junge?

Junge is a weak masculine noun—many cases add -n.

How do you say boys?

Die Jungen.

Is Kind okay instead?

Yes if gender does not matter. Junge specifies a boy.

What about guy for an adult?

Often der Typ or simply use the name—not Junge, unless teasing.

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