German · People & Family

"Widow" in German: Witwe

die Witwe

Say it: VIT-vuhfeminine · die Witwenoun/ˈvɪtvə/

Widow in German is die Witwe. Say Sie ist Witwe seit letztem Jahr. A widower is der Witwer. Keep the topic gentle and private.

Quiet family talk

Meine Tante ist seit März Witwe.
My aunt has been a widow since March.
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How to pronounce Witwe

Say it

VIT-vuh

/ˈvɪtvə/

VIT-vuh. Soft W like v; stress VIT.

"Widow" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
die Witwewidow

Core noun.

Witwenwidows

Plural.

der Witwerwidower

Male counterpart.

Witwenrentewidow's pension

Admin topic.

How to use Witwe in real life

  1. 1Quiet family talk

    Meine Tante ist seit März Witwe.

    My aunt has been a widow since March.

    Ist … Witwe.

  2. 2Form language

    Familienstand: verwitwet sie ist Witwe.

    Marital status: widowed — she is a widow.

    Witwe after status.

  3. 3Neighbor introduction

    Die Witwe nebenan gießt oft die Blumen.

    The widow next door often waters the flowers.

    Die Witwe as subject.

Mistakes English speakers make with Witwe

Incorrect: der Witwe

Correct: die Witwe

Witwe is feminine: die Witwe.

Incorrect: die Widow

Correct: die Witwe

Use German Witwe.

Good to know

Germans rarely lead with Witwe in casual intros; it appears when relevant. Admin forms use verwitwet. Offer practical help more than curiosity when someone is recently a Witwe.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Updating a family tree carefully

  1. ChatPal

    Schreiben wir Tante Clara als Witwe ein?

    Should we list Aunt Clara as a widow?

  2. You

    Ja. Sie ist Witwe, aber frag sie vor dem Teilen.

    Yes. She is a widow, but ask her before sharing.

  3. ChatPal

    Gut. Diskret notieren: Witwe seit 2024.

    Good. Note discreetly: widow since 2024.

  4. You

    Genau. Die Witwe entscheidet, was öffentlich ist.

    Exactly. The widow decides what is public.

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"Widow" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Widow" in German

How do you say widow?

Die Witwe.

Widower?

Der Witwer.

Plural?

Die Witwen.

Form status?

Often verwitwet on forms.

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