maid
Loading your saved state.
maid
A female domestic servant who lives and works in a family's household and performs tasks such as cleaning, cooking, or washing. The term is considered outdated today.
In dem historischen Roman verliebte sich der junge Graf in ein Dienstmädchen.
In the historical novel, the young count fell in love with a maid.
The word is made up of 'Dienst' (work/service) and 'Mädchen' (girl). Because of the diminutive ending '-chen', the word has the neuter article 'das', even though it describes a female person.
Das Dienstmädchen war für die Sauberkeit im ganzen Haus verantwortlich.
The maid was responsible for cleanliness throughout the whole house.
This term is outdated today and is no longer used for modern domestic workers. You find it almost only in historical novels, films, or texts that refer to the period up to around the middle of the 20th century.
Die Großmutter erzählte Geschichten aus ihrer Jugend, als ihre Familie noch ein Dienstmädchen hatte.
The grandmother told stories from her youth, when her family still had a maid.
In historical contexts, the word is often used with verbs such as 'als Dienstmädchen arbeiten' (to work as a maid) or 'ein Dienstmädchen einstellen' (to hire a maid).
Nach dem Tod ihrer Eltern musste sie in der Stadt als Dienstmädchen arbeiten.
After the death of her parents, she had to work as a maid in the city.
cleaning lady
'die Putzfrau' and 'das Dienstmädchen' can both refer to women who work and clean in a household or building. But the difference is important: a 'Putzfrau' cleans rooms professionally, for example in homes or offices, and often comes only for certain hours. A 'Dienstmädchen' is a female domestic servant who lives in a family's household or does many different tasks there, such as cleaning, cooking, and washing. The word 'Dienstmädchen' is outdated today. The words can be confused because both have to do with housework. In everyday modern usage, what is usually meant is 'Putzfrau' or, more formally, 'Reinigungskraft' (cleaner / cleaning staff).
In dem alten Roman arbeitet ein Dienstmädchen im Haus einer reichen Familie.
In the old novel, a maid works in the house of a wealthy family.
Im Büro kommt die Putzfrau jeden Abend nach Feierabend.
At the office, the cleaning lady comes every evening after closing time.