klein
small
Of small size, extent, or dimension. The opposite of 'groß' (big).
EXAMPLE
Wir wohnen in einem kleinen Haus am Stadtrand.
We live in a small house on the outskirts of town.
klein
small
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
klein
young
Refers to a young age, especially childhood.
EXAMPLE
Als ich klein war, wollte ich immer Feuerwehrmann werden.
When I was young, I always wanted to become a firefighter.
klein
minor
Of little importance, unimportant, or insignificant.
EXAMPLE
Mach dir keine Sorgen, das ist nur ein kleines Problem.
Don't worry, it's only a minor problem.
von klein auf
from early childhood
An idiom meaning 'since early childhood'.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat von klein auf gelernt, zwei Sprachen zu sprechen.
She learned to speak two languages from early childhood.
klein beigeben
to give in
To yield, give up, or stop resisting in an argument or conflict.
EXAMPLE
Nach einer langen Diskussion hat er schließlich klein beigegeben.
After a long discussion, he finally gave in.
das Kleingedruckte
fine print
The part of a contract or document that is printed in very small type and often contains important but hard-to-read conditions.
EXAMPLE
Man sollte immer das Kleingedruckte lesen, bevor man etwas unterschreibt.
You should always read the fine print before signing something.
Usage tips
Used as a noun
When 'klein' (small) is used like a noun, it is capitalized. This often happens after articles ('der Kleine' - the little one, 'die Kleinen' - the little ones) or indefinite pronouns ('etwas Kleines' - something small, 'nichts Kleines' - nothing small).
EXAMPLE
Die Großen passen auf die Kleinen auf.
The big ones look after the little ones.
Separate or together?
There is a difference between 'klein schreiben' (to write in small handwriting or small font size) and 'kleinschreiben' (to write a letter as lowercase, not as a capital letter).
EXAMPLE
Du schreibst so klein, ich kann es kaum entziffern.
You write so small, I can barely decipher it.
Talking about childhood
The phrase 'als ich klein war' (when I was little/young) is a very common way to talk about one's own childhood. 'Klein' means 'young' here.
EXAMPLE
Als ich klein war, bin ich oft auf Bäume geklettert.
When I was young, I often climbed trees.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'unimportant', 'klein' is often combined with abstract nouns. Typical examples are: 'ein kleines Problem' (a minor problem), 'ein kleiner Fehler' (a minor mistake), 'eine kleine Sorge' (a small worry), or 'nur eine kleine Sache' (only a small thing).
EXAMPLE
Das ist nur ein kleiner Fehler, den wir schnell beheben können.
That's only a minor mistake that we can fix quickly.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'von klein auf' means 'since early childhood'. It is used to emphasize that an ability or habit began very early in life.
EXAMPLE
Er kann von klein auf Ski fahren.
He has been able to ski since early childhood.
Fixed expression
The expression 'klein beigeben' is a fixed phrase with the separable verb 'beigeben'. It means that one gives up one's resistance.
EXAMPLE
Er wollte zuerst nicht nachgeben, aber am Ende gab er doch klein bei.
At first he didn't want to give in, but in the end he did give in.
Word structure
'Das Kleingedruckte' (the fine print) is a fixed term. It refers to the part of a text that is written in small print and often contains important details. 'Gedruckte' is a participle used as a noun here.
EXAMPLE
Es ist immer ratsam, vor dem Unterschreiben das Kleingedruckte zu lesen.
It is always advisable to read the fine print before signing.
Compare with
klein vs wenig
little / few
Wenig refers to a small amount or number, whereas klein refers to a small size or extent. Wenig Brot therefore means a small amount of bread; ein kleines Brot is a single loaf of small size.
klein
Für das Frühstück haben wir nur ein kleines Brot.
We only have a small loaf of bread for breakfast.
wenig
Für das Frühstück haben wir nur wenig Brot.
We only have a little bread for breakfast.
In real life
Loading video examples...