01
der König
king
The male ruler of a monarchy, who holds the highest office of state.
example
Der König hielt eine Ansprache an sein Volk.
The king gave an address to his people.
der König
king
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The word family of 'König' (king) includes the adjective 'königlich' (royal; like a king) and the noun 'das Königreich' (kingdom; the country ruled by a king or queen).
EXAMPLE
Die Familie lebt in einem königlichen Palast.
The family lives in a royal palace.
Context clue
The meaning 'chess piece' is clear from the context of the game. Words like 'Schach' (chess), 'matt' (checkmate), 'Figur' (piece), or 'Spiel' (game) make it clear that the ruler is not meant.
EXAMPLE
Im Schach musst du deinen König um jeden Preis schützen.
In chess, you have to protect your king at all costs.
Sentence structure
In the figurative meaning, the structure 'König des/der + genitive' (king of the + genitive) or 'König von + dative' (king of + dative) is often used to describe the best person in a field.
EXAMPLE
Er wird als der König der Torjäger gefeiert.
He is celebrated as the king of the goal scorers.
Compare with
König vs Präsident
president
'der König' and 'der Präsident' can both be the head of state of a country. The important difference lies in the form of government. A 'König' belongs to a monarchy and usually gets his role through his family. A 'Präsident' belongs to a republic and is normally elected or chosen through a political process. Learners may confuse the words because both can stand at the head of a state. So pay attention to the country and its form of government: monarchy with a king, republic with a president.
König
Der König hielt vor dem Parlament eine kurze Rede.
The king gave a short speech before parliament.
Präsident
Der Präsident wurde für vier Jahre gewählt.
The president was elected for four years.
In real life
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