German · People & Family
"Friend" in German: Freund
der Freund
Note: female: die Freundin
Friend in German is der Freund for a man and die Freundin for a woman. Be careful: mein Freund usually means "my boyfriend", so for a friend Germans often say ein Freund von mir. The plural is die Freunde.
Introducing someone
Das ist Tom, ein Freund von mir aus der Uni.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Freund
Say it
FROYNT
/fʁɔʏ̯nt/
Say FROYNT. The eu sounds like the "oy" in "boy", and the final d is said like a t. In Freundin the d starts a new syllable, so it is a real d again: FROYN-din.
"Friend" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Freund | friend (male), boyfriend A male friend. With mein, it often means boyfriend. | A male friend. With mein, it often means boyfriend. |
| die Freundin | friend (female), girlfriend A female friend. With meine, it often means girlfriend. | A female friend. With meine, it often means girlfriend. |
| ein Freund von mir / eine Freundin von mir | a friend of mine The clear way to say a friend is just a friend. | The clear way to say a friend is just a friend. |
| der Kumpel | buddy, mate Casual, and used mostly about male friends. | Casual, and used mostly about male friends. |
| der / die Bekannte | acquaintance Someone you know but are not close to. | Someone you know but are not close to. |
How to use Freund in real life
- 1Introducing someone
Das ist Tom, ein Freund von mir aus der Uni.
This is Tom, a friend of mine from university.
Ein Freund von mir makes it clear that Tom is not your boyfriend.
- 2Weekend plans
Am Samstag treffe ich mich mit Freunden im Park.
On Saturday I'm meeting friends in the park.
After mit, the plural Freunde gets an extra n: mit Freunden.
- 3Talking about your partner
Meine Freundin und ich wohnen seit zwei Jahren zusammen.
My girlfriend and I have been living together for two years.
Here the context makes it clear that Freundin means girlfriend.
Mistakes English speakers make with Freund
Incorrect: Das ist mein Freund. (meaning just a friend)
Correct: Das ist ein Freund von mir.
Mein Freund usually sounds like "my boyfriend". Use ein Freund von mir or ein guter Freund for a friend.
Incorrect: Sie ist mein Freund.
Correct: Sie ist meine Freundin.
A woman is die Freundin, so the possessive changes too: meine Freundin. English has one word, German has two.
Good to know
Many Germans keep the word Freund for close friends. People they know less well are Bekannte (acquaintances), and people from work are Kollegen. So a friendly coworker is usually ein Kollege, not ein Freund, and calling someone you just met a Freund can sound a bit strong.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Chatting with a classmate at a language school in Cologne
ChatPal
Mit wem warst du am Wochenende unterwegs?
Who were you out with at the weekend?
You
Mit einer Freundin aus England. Sie besucht mich gerade.
With a friend from England. She's visiting me right now.
ChatPal
Schön! Ist sie eine alte Freundin?
Nice! Is she an old friend?
You
Ja, wir sind seit der Schule Freunde.
Yes, we've been friends since school.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Friend" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Friend" in German
Does Freundin mean girlfriend or female friend?
Both. Meine Freundin often means "my girlfriend", while eine Freundin von mir or eine gute Freundin means a friend. Context usually makes it clear.
Why is the d in Freund pronounced like a t?
In German, b, d, and g at the end of a word lose their voice and sound like p, t, and k. So Freund ends in a t sound, like Hund and Kind. In the plural Freunde, the d is a normal d.
What is the plural of Freund?
Die Freunde. For a group of only women, say die Freundinnen. For a mixed group, everyday German uses Freunde.
How do you say best friend in German?
Der beste Freund or die beste Freundin. With mein, the ending changes: mein bester Freund, meine beste Freundin.
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
