German · People & Family
"Colleague" in German: Kollege / Kollegin
der Kollege / die Kollegin
Colleague in German is der Kollege for a man and die Kollegin for a woman. Plural is die Kollegen (mixed or male) or die Kolleginnen. Office small talk often starts with Hallo, Kollege.
Desk chat
Mein Kollege kennt den neuen Prozess.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Kollege / Kollegin
Say it
ko-LAY-guh
/koˈleːɡə/
ko-LAY-guh / ko-LAY-gin. Stress on le.
"Colleague" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Kollege | colleague (male) Masculine. | Masculine. |
| die Kollegin | colleague (female) Feminine. | Feminine. |
| die Kollegen | colleagues Default plural. | Default plural. |
| Arbeitskollege | work colleague Emphasizes workplace. | Emphasizes workplace. |
How to use Kollege / Kollegin in real life
- 1Desk chat
Mein Kollege kennt den neuen Prozess.
My colleague knows the new process.
Mein Kollege.
- 2Praise
Die Kollegin hat die Präsentation gerettet.
The colleague saved the presentation.
Die Kollegin.
- 3Team lunch
Die Kollegen essen um eins in der Kantine.
The colleagues eat at one in the cafeteria.
Die Kollegen.
Mistakes English speakers make with Kollege / Kollegin
Incorrect: der Kollegin
Correct: die Kollegin
Feminine form takes die.
Incorrect: die Kollege
Correct: der Kollege
Masculine singular is der Kollege.
Good to know
Kollege / Kollegin is friendly but professional. Close work friends may still say Kollege even after hours; du vs Sie depends on the company culture.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Introducing someone at work
ChatPal
Kennst du schon alle im Team?
Do you know everyone on the team yet?
You
Nur einen Kollegen aus Marketing.
Only one colleague from marketing.
ChatPal
Dann triffst du heute die Kollegin aus Sales.
Then you'll meet the colleague from sales today.
You
Super. Die Kollegin schreibt mir gerade.
Great. The colleague is writing to me right now.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Colleague" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Colleague" in German
How do you say colleague?
Der Kollege / die Kollegin.
Plural?
Die Kollegen or die Kolleginnen.
Coworker?
Same words; Arbeitskollege is also fine.
Formal address?
Often Herr/Frau + last name until you switch to du.
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
