German · People & Family
"Brother" in German: Bruder
der Bruder
Brother in German is der Bruder. Say mein Bruder for my brother. The plural is die Brüder with an umlaut.
Introducing family
Das ist mein Bruder Tim.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Bruder
Say it
BROO-der
/ˈbʁuːdɐ/
BROO-der. Long u as in "boot", soft final -er. Stress the first syllable.
"Brother" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Bruder | the brother Basic masculine noun. | Basic masculine noun. |
| mein Bruder | my brother Possessive with masculine. | Possessive with masculine. |
| die Brüder | the brothers Plural with ü. | Plural with ü. |
| großer / kleiner Bruder | older / younger brother Age relative to you. | Age relative to you. |
How to use Bruder in real life
- 1Introducing family
Das ist mein Bruder Tim.
This is my brother Tim.
Mein Bruder before the name.
- 2Talking about siblings
Ich habe zwei Brüder.
I have two brothers.
Plural Brüder after zwei.
- 3Phone call
Mein Bruder ruft gleich an.
My brother is calling any minute.
Ruft is present for near future.
Mistakes English speakers make with Bruder
Incorrect: meine Bruder
Correct: mein Bruder
Bruder is masculine singular: mein, not meine.
Incorrect: zwei Bruder
Correct: zwei Brüder
Plural needs umlaut and -er: Brüder.
Good to know
Family chat often sorts siblings as großer Bruder and kleine Schwester rather than only by name. Bruder can also be warm slang among close male friends in some circles, but mein Bruder usually means a real sibling.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning a family dinner
ChatPal
Kommt dein Bruder auch mit?
Is your brother coming too?
You
Ja, mein Bruder bringt Salat mit.
Yes, my brother is bringing salad.
ChatPal
Super. Kennt dein Bruder schon Lisa?
Great. Does your brother already know Lisa?
You
Noch nicht. Ich stelle ihn vor.
Not yet. I'll introduce him.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Brother" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Brother" in German
How do you say my brother?
Mein Bruder.
What is the plural?
Die Brüder.
How do you say older brother?
Mein großer Bruder.
Is Bruder only for siblings?
Mostly yes in everyday family talk; friend use is limited slang.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
