01
der Cousin
cousin
The son of one's uncle or aunt.
example
Mein Cousin aus Hamburg kommt uns am Wochenende besuchen.
My cousin from Hamburg is coming to visit us this weekend.
der Cousin
cousin
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Meanings
Usage tips
French origin
The word 'Cousin' (cousin) comes from French and is also used in German for this specific family relationship. The pronunciation is based on French.
EXAMPLE
Mein Cousin und ich haben als Kinder oft zusammen gespielt.
My cousin and I often played together as children.
Specifying the relationship
To make clear which side of the family the cousin comes from, you can add 'mütterlicherseits' (on the mother's side) or 'väterlicherseits' (on the father's side).
EXAMPLE
Mein Cousin mütterlicherseits wohnt in Österreich.
My cousin on my mother's side lives in Austria.
Degree of relationship
You can indicate the degree of relationship with 'ersten Grades' (first degree) or 'zweiten Grades' (second degree). A 'Cousin ersten Grades' (first cousin) is the direct definition: the son of an aunt or uncle.
EXAMPLE
Wir sind Cousins ersten Grades, denn unsere Väter sind Brüder.
We are first cousins because our fathers are brothers.
Compare with
Cousin vs Onkel
uncle
'der Onkel' and 'der Cousin' are both male relatives, but they belong to different family roles. 'der Onkel' is a person from the parents' generation: the brother of your mother or father, or the husband of your aunt. 'der Cousin' is the son of an uncle or aunt and usually belongs to your own generation. They can be confused because both are connected through the same part of the family. Practically speaking: the uncle is the father of a cousin or the brother of a parent; the cousin is the child of an uncle or aunt.
Cousin
Mein Cousin ist genauso alt wie ich und wohnt in Köln.
My cousin is the same age as me and lives in Cologne.
Onkel
Am Wochenende hat Frau Klein ihrem Onkel beim Umzug geholfen.
At the weekend, Ms. Klein helped her uncle move.
In real life
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