homeless person
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homeless person
A person who does not have a permanent residence and often lives on the street or in emergency shelters.
Im Winter suchen viele Obdachlose Schutz in den Wärmestuben der Stadt.
In winter, many homeless people seek shelter in the city's warming centers.
The word is made up of 'Obdach' (shelter, accommodation) and the ending '-los' (without). So an 'Obdachloser' is literally a person 'without a protective roof' over their head.
Nach dem Brand war die Familie plötzlich obdachlos.
After the fire, the family was suddenly homeless.
'Obdachloser' (homeless person) is a substantivized adjective and is declined like an adjective. The ending changes depending on the article and case, which is a common mistake.
Ein Obdachloser bat um eine warme Decke.
A homeless person asked for a warm blanket.
The word family includes the adjective 'obdachlos' (homeless) and the noun 'die Obdachlosigkeit' (homelessness), which describes the state of not having a home.
Die Zahl der obdachlosen Menschen in der Stadt ist gestiegen.
The number of homeless people in the city has increased.
bum / loser
'der Obdachloser' and 'der Penner' can both refer to a person who lives on the street. The important difference is in the tone. 'Obdachloser' is the neutral and respectful term for a person without a permanent residence. 'Penner' is colloquial and derogatory. It can mean a homeless person, but it is also used as a crude insult for someone. Learners should not simply swap the words. In normal, polite, or factual situations, 'Obdachloser' is correct; 'Penner' can come across as hurtful.
Die Stadt öffnet im Winter zusätzliche Unterkünfte für Obdachlose.
In winter, the city opens additional shelters for homeless people.
Er nannte den Mann einen Penner, aber seine Freundin fand das sehr respektlos.
He called the man a bum, but his girlfriend found that very disrespectful.