virgin / Virgo / maiden
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virgin
A person who has never had sexual intercourse.
Der Begriff „Jungfrau“ wird heute seltener und oft nur in einem medizinischen oder sehr persönlichen Kontext verwendet.
The term 'Jungfrau' (virgin) is used less often today and usually only in a medical or very personal context.
The word is made up of 'jung' (young) and 'Frau' (woman). Its original meaning was therefore literally a 'junge Frau' (young woman), which explains the historical usage.
Die Wortgeschichte von „Jungfrau“ ist eng mit der von „Fräulein“ verbunden.
The word history of 'Jungfrau' (virgin/maiden) is closely connected with that of 'Fräulein' (Miss/young lady).
You can recognize the meaning from context: words like 'Sternzeichen' (zodiac sign) or 'Horoskop' (horoscope) point to astrology. In 'Märchen' (fairy tales) and 'Sagen' (legends), the historical meaning is intended. Without this context, it usually refers to sexual inexperience.
Laut Horoskop sind Menschen mit dem Sternzeichen Jungfrau sehr ordentlich.
According to the horoscope, people with the zodiac sign Virgo are very orderly.
Although 'die Jungfrau' (the virgin) is a feminine noun, it is also used for men. In this case, the word remains unchanged. For example, you would say: 'Er ist noch Jungfrau.' (He is still a virgin.)
In dem Roman geht es um einen jungen Mann, der noch Jungfrau ist.
The novel is about a young man who is still a virgin.
When referring to the zodiac sign, the fixed expression '(vom Sternzeichen) Jungfrau sein' (to be a Virgo) or 'im Zeichen der Jungfrau geboren sein' (to be born under the sign of Virgo) is usually used.
Mein Bruder ist auch Jungfrau, er hat eine Woche nach dir Geburtstag.
My brother is a Virgo too; his birthday is a week after yours.
This meaning of 'Jungfrau' as a young, unmarried woman is outdated. Today it is used almost only in historical, literary, or religious contexts such as fairy tales and old texts.
Die Jungfrau von Orléans ist eine französische Nationalheldin.
The Maid of Orléans is a French national heroine.
girl
'das Mädchen' and 'die Jungfrau' can both have to do with a young female person in old or literary texts. In modern German, however, they are not the same. 'Mädchen' is the normal word for a female child or adolescent. Today, 'Jungfrau' usually means a person who has never had sexual intercourse, or it appears as an old word for a young unmarried woman. Learners may confuse the words because of 'jung' (young). In everyday language, you should almost always use 'Mädchen' for a child or adolescent.
In dem alten Märchen wartet eine Jungfrau in einem hohen Turm.
In the old fairy tale, a maiden waits in a tall tower.
Nach dem Unterricht fragt die Lehrerin das Mädchen, ob es Hilfe braucht.
After class, the teacher asks the girl whether she needs help.