das Mitglied
member
A person who belongs to a group, club, organization, or family.
EXAMPLE
Jedes Mitglied des Vereins muss einen Jahresbeitrag zahlen.
Every member of the club has to pay an annual fee.
das Mitglied
member
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Meanings
das Mitglied
limb
A body part, especially an arm or a leg. This meaning is outdated and is hardly used today.
EXAMPLE
Nach der langen Wanderung streckte er seine müden Mitglieder aus.
After the long hike, he stretched out his tired limbs.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word consists of 'Mit-' and 'Glied'. 'Mit' means 'together/with', and a 'Glied' is a part of a whole (like a link in a chain). So a member is literally a 'part that belongs to it'.
EXAMPLE
Als neues Mitglied fühlte er sich schnell in der Gruppe willkommen.
As a new member, he quickly felt welcome in the group.
Grammatical gender
Although 'das Mitglied' (member) refers to people (male, female, diverse), the word is grammatically neuter. It always remains 'das Mitglied', regardless of the person's gender.
EXAMPLE
Sie ist seit zehn Jahren Mitglied in unserem Chor.
She has been a member of our choir for ten years.
Correct preposition
You are 'Mitglied in' (a member in/of) a group in which you are active (e.g., a club), or 'Mitglied von' (a member of) a larger organization. Often both prepositions are possible.
EXAMPLE
Er ist Mitglied im Schachklub.
He is a member of the chess club.
Typical collocations
Common verbs used with 'Mitglied' (member) are 'Mitglied werden' (to become a member), 'Mitglied sein' (to be a member), and 'als Mitglied austreten' (to resign/withdraw as a member).
EXAMPLE
Möchtest du Mitglied in unserem Fitnessstudio werden?
Would you like to become a member of our gym?
Register
The meaning 'body part' is outdated (archaic). You will only find it in very old literature. It is no longer used in modern language.
EXAMPLE
Der Ritter schützte seine Mitglieder mit einer Rüstung.
The knight protected his limbs with armor.
Compare with
Mitglied vs Angehörige
relative / member
Both words can refer to a person who belongs to a family. Mitglied is the general term for belonging to a group and is often used with families in the compound Familienmitglied. Angehöriger directly describes the family relationship and is therefore usually more natural in this context.
Mitglied
Tom ist ein Mitglied der Familie und hilft oft im Haushalt.
Tom is a member of the family and often helps around the house.
Angehörige
Tom ist ein Angehöriger der Familie und hilft oft im Haushalt.
Tom is a relative and often helps around the house.
In real life
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