A female person who lives together with one or more other people in an apartment or house without being part of the family. Usually, shared spaces such as the kitchen and bathroom are used together.
example
Meine neue Mitbewohnerin studiert Medizin und ist sehr ordentlich.
My new female roommate studies medicine and is very tidy.
Usage tips
Word composition
The word consists of the prefix 'mit-' (together) and 'Bewohnerin' (female person who lives somewhere). So it literally describes a female person who lives together with someone.
EXAMPLE
Ich teile mir die Miete mit meiner Mitbewohnerin.
I share the rent with my female roommate.
Word family
This word belongs to a word family related to living together. The masculine form is 'der Mitbewohner' (male roommate). An apartment that people share is often called a 'Wohngemeinschaft' (shared flat/apartment) or, for short, 'WG'.
EXAMPLE
In unserer WG suchen wir einen neuen Mitbewohner oder eine neue Mitbewohnerin.
In our shared apartment, we are looking for a new male roommate or a new female roommate.
Typical combinations
Common verbs in connection with this word are 'suchen' (to look for), 'finden' (to find), and 'zusammenwohnen' (to live together). People often speak of their 'neue' (new) or 'ehemalige' (former) Mitbewohnerin.
EXAMPLE
Es ist nicht immer einfach, eine passende Mitbewohnerin zu finden.
It is not always easy to find a suitable female roommate.