German · People & Family
"Sister" in German: Schwester
die Schwester
Sister in German is die Schwester. Say meine Schwester for my sister. The plural is die Schwestern.
Introductions
Das ist meine Schwester Nora.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Schwester
Say it
SHVES-ter
/ˈʃvɛstɐ/
SHVES-ter. The schw is like sh + v. Stress the first syllable; final -er is soft.
"Sister" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| die Schwester | the sister Feminine noun. | Feminine noun. |
| meine Schwester | my sister Possessive. | Possessive. |
| die Schwestern | the sisters Plural. | Plural. |
| große / kleine Schwester | older / younger sister Relative age. | Relative age. |
How to use Schwester in real life
- 1Introductions
Das ist meine Schwester Nora.
This is my sister Nora.
Meine agrees with feminine Schwester.
- 2Family size
Ich habe eine ältere Schwester.
I have an older sister.
Ältere is a clear alternative to große.
- 3Weekend plans
Meine Schwester kommt Samstag vorbei.
My sister is coming by on Saturday.
Present for arranged future.
Mistakes English speakers make with Schwester
Incorrect: mein Schwester
Correct: meine Schwester
Schwester is feminine: meine, not mein.
Incorrect: zwei Schwester
Correct: zwei Schwestern
Plural adds -n: Schwestern.
Good to know
Schwester is also the everyday word for a nurse (short for Krankenschwester), so context matters. In family talk, große Schwester and kleine Schwester sort birth order without needing ages.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a shared birthday gift
ChatPal
Was wünscht sich deine Schwester?
What does your sister want?
You
Meine Schwester will Bücher. Immer.
My sister wants books. Always.
ChatPal
Dann suchen wir etwas für deine Schwester in der Buchhandlung.
Then let's look for something for your sister in the bookstore.
You
Perfekt. Ich frage meine Schwester nach dem Genre.
Perfect. I'll ask my sister about the genre.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Sister" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Sister" in German
How do you say my sister?
Meine Schwester.
What is the plural?
Die Schwestern.
How do you say older sister?
Meine große Schwester or meine ältere Schwester.
Can Schwester mean nurse?
Yes, in hospitals Schwester often means nurse.
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
