der Dienstgrad
rank
The official rank that a person holds in the military, police, or a similar service.
EXAMPLE
Welchen Dienstgrad hat die neue Polizeibeamtin?
What rank does the new police officer hold?
der Dienstgrad
rank
der Dienstgrad, die Dienstgrade
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Dienstgrad, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Dienstgrade |
| genitive | des Dienstgrades |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Dienstgrad | die Dienstgrade |
| accusative | den Dienstgrad | die Dienstgrade |
| dative | dem Dienstgrad | den Dienstgraden |
| genitive | des Dienstgrades des Dienstgrads | der Dienstgrade |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word formation
'Dienstgrad' (rank) is made up of 'Dienst' (service) and 'Grad' (degree). Here, 'Grad' refers to a specific level within an ordered ranking system.
EXAMPLE
Sein Dienstgrad steht auf dem offiziellen Ausweis.
His rank is listed on his official ID card.
Typical collocations
'Dienstgrad' (rank) is often used with verbs such as 'haben' (to have), 'tragen' (to hold), 'erreichen' (to attain), and 'verleihen' (to confer). The relevant service is usually introduced with a preposition such as 'bei' (with/at) or 'in' (in): 'bei der Polizei' (with the police), 'in der Bundeswehr' (in the German armed forces).
EXAMPLE
Sie hat bei der Polizei inzwischen einen höheren Dienstgrad erreicht.
She has now attained a higher rank with the police.
Official usage
'Dienstgrad' (rank) belongs primarily to the official language of the military, police, and similar organizations. The word often appears in forms, reports, and conversations about promotions or areas of responsibility.
EXAMPLE
Der Dienstgrad des Beamten wurde im Bericht ausdrücklich genannt.
The officer's rank was explicitly mentioned in the report.
In real life
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