01
der Schah
shah
A historical title for the monarch of Persia (modern-day Iran) and some other countries in the region.
example
Der letzte Schah von Persien wurde 1979 gestürzt.
The last Shah of Persia was overthrown in 1979.
der Schah
shah
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Meanings
Usage tips
Grammatical form
Although it ends in -ah, 'der Schah' (the shah) is a masculine noun. The genitive is formed regularly with -s.
EXAMPLE
Die Ausstellung zeigt die Juwelen des Schahs.
The exhibition shows the jewels of the shah.
Historical context
This word is a historical title and is used almost exclusively in connection with the history of Persia (modern-day Iran). It does not refer to a modern ruler.
EXAMPLE
In der Schule haben wir über die Regentschaft des Schahs gelernt.
At school, we learned about the reign of the shah.
Typical collocation
The most common and fixed combination for this word is 'der Schah von Persien' (the Shah of Persia). It is rarely read or heard without this geographical reference.
EXAMPLE
Der Schah von Persien lebte im Exil.
The Shah of Persia lived in exile.
Compare with
Schah vs König
king
'der König' and 'der Schah' both refer to a male monarch. 'König' is the general word for a ruler in a monarchy and fits many countries and time periods. 'Schah' is much more specific: it was used mainly for the ruler of Persia, modern-day Iran, and also for some rulers in the region. Learners may confuse the words because both refer to a similar role. When speaking generally about monarchies, 'König' is more natural. 'Schah' is used only when referring to this historical title.
Schah
Im Geschichtskurs sprechen wir heute über den letzten Schah von Iran.
In history class today, we are talking about the last Shah of Iran.
König
Der König empfing die Gäste im alten Schloss.
The king received the guests in the old palace.
In real life
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