German · People & Family
"Cousin" in German: Cousin / Cousine
der Cousin / die Cousine
Cousin in German is der Cousin for a male cousin and die Cousine for a female cousin. Some families also say Vetter for a male cousin.
Family party
Mein Cousin kommt aus Hamburg.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Cousin / Cousine
Say it
koo-ZEEN / koo-ZEE-nuh
/kuˈzɛ̃ː/ / kuˈziːnə/
koo-ZEEN / koo-ZEE-nuh. Stress on -sin/-si-. Soft final e on Cousine.
"Cousin" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Cousin | male cousin Default masculine. | Default masculine. |
| die Cousine | female cousin Feminine form. | Feminine form. |
| meine Cousins | my cousins Common plural. | Common plural. |
| Vetter | male cousin (older) Still heard in some families. | Still heard in some families. |
How to use Cousin / Cousine in real life
- 1Family party
Mein Cousin kommt aus Hamburg.
My cousin is coming from Hamburg.
Mein Cousin.
- 2Introducing people
Das ist meine Cousine Anna.
This is my cousin Anna.
Meine Cousine.
- 3Childhood memory
Als Kind habe ich oft bei meinem Cousin gespielt.
As a kid I often played at my cousin's.
Meinem Cousin dative.
Mistakes English speakers make with Cousin / Cousine
Incorrect: meine Cousin (for a woman)
Correct: meine Cousine
Use Cousine for a female cousin.
Incorrect: der Cousine
Correct: die Cousine / der Cousin
Match article to gender.
Good to know
German keeps the French loanwords Cousin and Cousine in daily speech. Vetter and Base sound older, but elders may still use them.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning who to invite to a birthday
ChatPal
Kommt dein Cousin auch?
Is your cousin coming too?
You
Ja, und meine Cousine mit Kind.
Yes, and my cousin with her kid.
ChatPal
Super. Dein Cousin kocht doch gut, oder?
Great. Your cousin cooks well, right?
You
Stimmt. Mein Cousin bringt Salat mit.
True. My cousin is bringing salad.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Cousin" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Cousin" in German
How do you say male vs female cousin?
Der Cousin and die Cousine.
What is the plural?
Often die Cousins; Cousinen for female plural.
Is Vetter still used?
Sometimes, especially by older speakers.
How do you say my cousin?
Mein Cousin / meine Cousine.
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
