Frame description

This frame contains words that denote kinship relations, i.e. the terms for family members and relatives. In annotations, we use the frame elements Relative_1 and Relative_2, or Relatives when they appear together.

Examples:

1. Sein Opa  zeigte ihm, wie man eine Angel schnitzt und Fischreusen legt. 1. His grandpa  showed him, how one a fishing pole carves and fishing nets lays. 
2. Drei Jahre später haben sie sich geheiratet.2. Three years later they married each other.
3. Sein Vater, Großvater, Urgroßvater sind oder waren auch Metzger.3. His father, grandfather, great grandfather are or were also butchers.
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This frame contains words that denote kinship relations, i.e. the terms for family members and relatives. In annotations, we use the frame elements Relative_1 and Relative_2, or Relatives when they appear together.

Examples:

1. Sein Opa  zeigte ihm, wie man eine Angel schnitzt und Fischreusen legt. 1. His grandpa  showed him, how one a fishing pole carves and fishing nets lays. 
2. Drei Jahre später haben sie sich geheiratet.2. Three years later they married each other.
3. Sein Vater, Großvater, Urgroßvater sind oder waren auch Metzger.3. His father, grandfather, great grandfather are or were also butchers.

 

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Examples
Grammar Notes
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Frame Elements

Frame Element descriptions (on hover):

Relative_1

The Relative_1 is the person who fills the role named by the kinship term with respect to Relative_2

Relative_2

Relative_2 is the person from whose perspective the kinship relation is defined.

Relatives

Relatives are the combination of Relative_1 and Relative_2 together.

Details
Examples
Grammar Notes
Sentence Templates
Alternate Forms
See All Information
adoptieren verb to adopt

Details:

to adopt

"Adoptieren" means, like its English equivalent, that a person or a couple legally takes someone else's child and brings it up as their own. It is used as in English. Often appears with passive voice, as in example 2.

Further details:

In German, this verb is rarely used for adopting animals from an animals shelter ("das Tierheim"). Instead, Germans use verbs like "holen" ("to get," "to take"), "nehmen" ("to take"), or "übernehmen" ("to take," "to adopt"), e.g. "Sie hat vor zwei Wochen eine Katze aus dem Tierheim geholt." ("She adopted (lit. "took" or "got") two weeks ago a cat from the animal shelter."), "Möchten Sie einen Hund aus unserem Tierheim übernehmen?" ("Would you like to adopt a dog from our animal shelter?").

Word formation:

"die Adoption" ("adoption"), "die Adoptivmutter" ("adoptive mother"), "der Adoptivvater" ("adoptive father"), "die Adoptiveltern" ("adoptive parents"), "das Adoptivkind" ("adoptee," "adopted child"), "der Adoptivsohn" ("adopted sun"), "die Adoptivtochter" ("adopted daughter"), "die Adoptivschwester" ("adoptive brother"), "die Adoptivschwester" ("adoptive sister")

Synonyms:

"als (eigenes) Kind annehmen" (lit. "to take in as own child"), "an Kindes Statt annehmen," "an Tochters Statt annehmen," "an Sohnes Statt annehmen"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„adoptieren“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/adoptieren>, abgerufen am 09.12.2021.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Homosexuelle Paare in Deutschland dürfen Kinder adoptieren.
  2. Bourani wurde als Säugling adoptiert.
  3. Hunderte hilfsbereiter Landsleute haben sich schon gemeldet, um ein Waisenkind zu adoptieren.
  4. Warum werden Kinder aus dem Ausland adoptiert?
  5. Das achtjährige türkische Mädchen ist von seinen Berliner Pflegeeltern adoptiert worden.
  1. Homosexual couples in Germany can adopt children.
  2. Bourani was as an infant adopted.
  3. Hundreds of helpful compatriots have already signed up to adopt an orphan.
  4. Why are children adopted from abroad?
  5. The eight-year-old Turkish girl has, by her Berliner foster parents, been adopted.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. RELATIVE_2 adoptiert RELATIVE_1.
  2. RELATIVE_1 wurde adoptiert.
  3. RELATIVE_1 wurde von RELATIVE_2 adoptiert.
  1. RELATIVE_2 adopts RELATIVE_1.
  2. RELATIVE_1 was adopted.
  3. RELATIVE_1 was adopted by RELATIVE_2.
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Details:

to adopt

"Adoptieren" means, like its English equivalent, that a person or a couple legally takes someone else's child and brings it up as their own. It is used as in English. Often appears with passive voice, as in example 2.

Further details:

In German, this verb is rarely used for adopting animals from an animals shelter ("das Tierheim"). Instead, Germans use verbs like "holen" ("to get," "to take"), "nehmen" ("to take"), or "übernehmen" ("to take," "to adopt"), e.g. "Sie hat vor zwei Wochen eine Katze aus dem Tierheim geholt." ("She adopted (lit. "took" or "got") two weeks ago a cat from the animal shelter."), "Möchten Sie einen Hund aus unserem Tierheim übernehmen?" ("Would you like to adopt a dog from our animal shelter?").

Word formation:

"die Adoption" ("adoption"), "die Adoptivmutter" ("adoptive mother"), "der Adoptivvater" ("adoptive father"), "die Adoptiveltern" ("adoptive parents"), "das Adoptivkind" ("adoptee," "adopted child"), "der Adoptivsohn" ("adopted sun"), "die Adoptivtochter" ("adopted daughter"), "die Adoptivschwester" ("adoptive brother"), "die Adoptivschwester" ("adoptive sister")

Synonyms:

"als (eigenes) Kind annehmen" (lit. "to take in as own child"), "an Kindes Statt annehmen," "an Tochters Statt annehmen," "an Sohnes Statt annehmen"

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„adoptieren“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/adoptieren>, abgerufen am 09.12.2021.

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Alternate Forms:

(er) adoptiert, adoptierte, hat adoptiert
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adoptiv- prefix adoptive, adopted

Details:

adoptive

The prefix "adoptiv-" is used like English "adoptive" or "adopted" to refer to a family relationship where one parent, or both, are not biologically related to their child or children, and vice versa. The relationship between the parent(s) and child(ren) is a legal relationship which gives the designated adult(s) the responsibility for raising the child(ren). Common compound nouns are:

GermanEnglish
das Adoptivkindadoptive child
der Adoptivsohnadoptive son
die Adoptivtochteradoptive daughter
die Adoptivelternadoptive parents
die Adoptivmutteradoptive mother
der Adoptivvateradoptive father
der Adoptivbruderadoptive brother
die Adoptivschwester adoptive sister

Further details:

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„adoptiv-“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/adoptiv->, abgerufen am 07.01.2022.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Das ist Isa mit ihrer Adoptivmutter.
  2. Rosemarie ist Mutter zweier Adoptivkinder.
  3. Robert hat zwei Adoptivbrüder.
  4. Max wuchs bei Adoptiveltern in Karlsruhe auf.
  5. Die 17-Jährige rebelliert gegen ihr akademisch-elitäres Adoptivelternhaus.
  1. This is Isa with her adoptive mother.
  2. Rosemarie is mother of two adoptive children.
  3. Robert has two adoptive brothers.
  4. Max grew up with adoptive parents in Karlsruhe.
  5. The 17-year old girl rebels against her academic-elitist adoptive family.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. RELATIVE_1 ist RELATIVE_2s Adoptivmutter / Adoptivsohn / usw.
  2. RELATIVE_1 ist der Adoptivvater / die Adoptivtochter / usw. von RELATIVE_2.
  3. [RELATIVE_2s Adoptiv-RELATIVE_1]
  4. RELATIVE_2 hat Adoptivkinder / Adoptivschwestern / usw.
  1. RELATIVE_1 is RELATIVE_2's adoptive mother / adoptive son / etc.
  2. RELATIVE_1 is the adoptive father / the adoptive daughter / usw. of RELATIVE_2.
  3. [RELATIVE_2's adoptive-RELATIVE_1]
  4. RELATIVE_2 has adoptive children / adoptive sisters / etc.
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Details:

adoptive

The prefix "adoptiv-" is used like English "adoptive" or "adopted" to refer to a family relationship where one parent, or both, are not biologically related to their child or children, and vice versa. The relationship between the parent(s) and child(ren) is a legal relationship which gives the designated adult(s) the responsibility for raising the child(ren). Common compound nouns are:

GermanEnglish
das Adoptivkindadoptive child
der Adoptivsohnadoptive son
die Adoptivtochteradoptive daughter
die Adoptivelternadoptive parents
die Adoptivmutteradoptive mother
der Adoptivvateradoptive father
der Adoptivbruderadoptive brother
die Adoptivschwester adoptive sister

Further details:

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„adoptiv-“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/adoptiv->, abgerufen am 07.01.2022.

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Bruder, der noun brother

Details:

brother

"Der Bruder" refers like its English equivalent to a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents. It is used like its English counterpart. To differentiate older and younger brothers, you can use "der ältere Bruder" ("the older brother") or "der große Bruder" ("the big brother"), and "der jüngere Bruder" ("the younger brother") or "der kleine Bruder" ("the little brother"). "Das Brüderchen" and "das Brüderlein" can be used as "little brother, baby brother."

 

 

Große Schwester, kleiner Bruder / big sister, little brother

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"die Bruderschaft" ("brotherhood," "fraternity"), "das Bruderherz" ("dear brother," lit. "brother-heart"), "der Bruderkuss" ("brotherly kiss"), "der Brudermord" ("fratricide," the act of killing a person's brother), "brüderlich" ("brotherly"), "der Blutsbruder" ("blood brother"), "der Amtsbruder" ("colleague"), "der Halbbruder" ("half-brother"), "der Knastbruder" (coll., "con," "jailbird"), "der Klosterbruder," "der Ordensbruder" (both: "friar"), "sich mit jemandem verbrüdern" ("to fraternize with so."), among others 

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Bruder“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Bruder>, abgerufen am 13.12.2021.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1.

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Example Sentences:

  1. Er und seine Brüder  besitzen einen Mercedes-Reparaturbetrieb.
  2. Sie hatte nicht studiert, auch mein Vater und mein älterer Bruder nicht.
  3. Ich und meine zwei kleinen Brüder sind über denselben Weg gekommen.
  4. Das Wörterbuch der Brüder Grimm ist im Internet vorhanden.
  5. Mein Bruder  und ich sind gleich groß.
  6. Zuerst hilfst du deiner Mutter, dann deinem Bruder, dann deinem Cousin und deinem Schwager.
  1. He and his brothers  own a Mercedes repair business.
  2. She had not studied, also not my father and my older brother.
  3. I and my two little brothers have over the same path come.
  4. The dictionary of the brothers Grimm is on the internet available.
  5. My brother  and I are equally tall.
  6. First you help your mother, then your brother, your cousin, and your brother-in-law.
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Templates with Frame Elements:

  1. RELATIVE_1 ist RELATIVE_2s Bruder.
  2. RELATIVE_1 ist der Bruder von RELATIVE_2.
  3. [RELATIVE_2s Bruder]
  4. RELATIVE_2 hat einen Bruder.
  1. RELATIVE_1 is RELATIVE_2's brother.
  2. RELATIVE_1 is the brother of RELATIVE_2.
  3. [RELATIVE_2's brother]
  4. RELATIVE_2 has a brother.
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Details:

brother

"Der Bruder" refers like its English equivalent to a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents. It is used like its English counterpart. To differentiate older and younger brothers, you can use "der ältere Bruder" ("the older brother") or "der große Bruder" ("the big brother"), and "der jüngere Bruder" ("the younger brother") or "der kleine Bruder" ("the little brother"). "Das Brüderchen" and "das Brüderlein" can be used as "little brother, baby brother."

 

 

Große Schwester, kleiner Bruder / big sister, little brother

Pixabay license, via Pixabay.com

Further details:

Word formation:

"die Bruderschaft" ("brotherhood," "fraternity"), "das Bruderherz" ("dear brother," lit. "brother-heart"), "der Bruderkuss" ("brotherly kiss"), "der Brudermord" ("fratricide," the act of killing a person's brother), "brüderlich" ("brotherly"), "der Blutsbruder" ("blood brother"), "der Amtsbruder" ("colleague"), "der Halbbruder" ("half-brother"), "der Knastbruder" (coll., "con," "jailbird"), "der Klosterbruder," "der Ordensbruder" (both: "friar"), "sich mit jemandem verbrüdern" ("to fraternize with so."), among others 

More information in DWDS, the digital dictionary of the German language:

„Bruder“, bereitgestellt durch das Digitale Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, <https://www.dwds.de/wb/Bruder>, abgerufen am 13.12.2021.

 

This word is part of the vocabulary for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1.

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Alternate Forms:

(pl.) die Brüder
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Cousin, der noun male cousin

Details:

cousin (male)

"Der Cousin" refers to the male a child of one's uncle or aunt and so it is used to describe the same personal relationship as "cousin" in English. However, German speakers use different terms for male and female cousins, and will specify "Cousins und Cousinen" if they are mentioning a group that has a mix of both (unlike some other terms for people, where the masculine form can include some females in the plural, such as "Enkel").

Like in English, there are ways to distinguish kinds of cousins; add "ersten Grades" after "Cousin" to signify "first cousin once removed" or "zweiten Grades" for "second cousin" or "twice removed." Just as in English, it can be useful to make these distinctions, but people don't do it very often.

 

 

Die Schwester meiner Mutter (also meine Tante) hat zwei Söhne - das sind meine Cousins. / The sister of my mother (i.e. my aunt) has two sons - these my cousins.