der Knirps
little kid
An informal term for a small child, especially a young boy.
EXAMPLE
Der Knirps trägt seinen viel zu großen Rucksack ganz allein.
The little kid is carrying his much-too-large backpack all by himself.
der Knirps
little kid / runt
der Knirps, die Knirpse
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Meanings
der Knirps
runt
An informal, often slightly mocking term for a small or physically unimpressive person.
EXAMPLE
Dieser Knirps will tatsächlich gegen den amtierenden Boxmeister antreten.
This runt actually wants to take on the reigning boxing champion.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Knirps, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Knirpse |
| genitive | des Knirpses |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Knirps | die Knirpse |
| accusative | den Knirps | die Knirpse |
| dative | dem Knirps | den Knirpsen |
| genitive | des Knirpses | der Knirpse |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Register and tone
'Knirps' (little kid / runt) is informal and can sound affectionate, humorous, or slightly derogatory depending on the context. The tone depends especially on the adjectives used and the situation.
EXAMPLE
Na, kleiner Knirps, hast du deinen Schuh wiedergefunden?
Well, little guy, did you find your shoe?
Typical collocations
When 'Knirps' refers to a child, the word is often used with descriptive adjectives or verbs from everyday situations. Common examples include 'ein kleiner Knirps' (a little kid), 'ein frecher Knirps' (a cheeky little kid), and 'der Knirps rennt' (the little kid is running).
EXAMPLE
Der freche Knirps hat den Ball über den Zaun geworfen.
The cheeky little kid threw the ball over the fence.
Context clue
The meaning referring to a physically unimpressive person is often clear from the fact that 'Knirps' is used in a competitive situation or with reference to physical size. The context then often involves an adult or a serious challenge.
EXAMPLE
Mit seinen 1,65 Metern ist der Knirps der kleinste Spieler der Liga, aber auch der schnellste.
At 1.65 meters, the runt is the shortest player in the league, but also the fastest.
In real life
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