01
der General
general
An officer of the highest military rank in the army or air force.
example
Der General inspizierte die Truppen vor dem Manöver.
The general inspected the troops before the maneuver.
der General
general
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
False friend
In German, 'der General' is always a noun for a person, usually in the military. It is not the English adjective 'general', which is 'allgemein' in German.
EXAMPLE
Das ist eine sehr allgemeine Frage.
That is a very general question.
Productive compounds
The word element 'General-' is used in many compounds to express that something is comprehensive or applies to the whole. Examples are 'die Generalprobe' (final rehearsal before the premiere) or 'der Generalverdacht' (general suspicion against everyone).
EXAMPLE
Vor der Premiere findet heute Abend die Generalprobe statt.
The dress rehearsal takes place this evening before the premiere.
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether the military leader or the religious leader is meant. Words like 'Armee' (army), 'Truppen' (troops), or 'Verteidigungsministerium' (Ministry of Defense) point to the military, while 'Orden' (religious order), 'Jesuiten' (Jesuits), or 'Kloster' (monastery) point to the religious meaning.
EXAMPLE
Der General besuchte die Soldaten an der Front.
The general visited the soldiers at the front.
Compare with
General vs Offizier
officer
'der General' and 'der Offizier' both belong to the military and refer to people with leadership duties. The difference lies in rank: a general is an officer with one of the highest military ranks. 'Offizier' is more general and can also refer to a lower rank, for example lieutenant or captain. Learners may confuse the words because every general is an officer, but not every officer is a general. If the exact high rank is important, 'General' fits; if only the military leadership position is meant, 'Offizier' is often appropriate.
General
Der General sprach vor der Übung mit den Soldaten.
The general spoke with the soldiers before the exercise.
Offizier
Nach der Ausbildung wurde Paul Offizier bei der Armee.
After his training, Paul became an officer in the army.
In real life
Loading video examples...