01
die Schwester
sister
A female person who has the same parents as another person.
example
Meine Schwester und ich verstehen uns sehr gut.
My sister and I get along very well.
die Schwester
sister
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clues
The context shows which 'Schwester' (sister/nurse/nun) is meant. Words like 'Eltern' (parents) or 'Bruder' (brother) point to family. A medical setting ('Krankenhaus' (hospital), 'Arzt' (doctor)) refers to a nurse. Religious terms like 'Kloster' (monastery/convent) or 'Orden' (religious order) signal a nun.
EXAMPLE
Meine jüngere Schwester studiert Medizin.
My younger sister is studying medicine.
Use as a form of address
In a hospital or doctor's office, it is common to address a female nurse directly as 'Schwester' (nurse), often without knowing her name.
EXAMPLE
Schwester, könnten Sie mir bitte ein Glas Wasser bringen?
Nurse, could you please bring me a glass of water?
Use as a title
With nuns, 'Schwester' (Sister) is used like a title, normally followed by the person's first name. It is a respectful form of address.
EXAMPLE
Schwester Johanna leitet den Kindergarten des Ordens.
Sister Johanna runs the order's kindergarten.
Compare with
Schwester vs Bruder
brother
'der Bruder' and 'die Schwester' both belong to the topic of family and refer to a sibling. The difference is gender: a brother is male, a sister is female. The words can be confused because both describe the same family relationship. If you only want to say that someone is not an only child, you often need 'Geschwister' (siblings). If gender is important, you say 'Bruder' or 'Schwester'.
Schwester
Nach dem Gespräch hat die Mitarbeiterin ihre Schwester angerufen.
After the conversation, the employee called her sister.
Bruder
Mein Bruder hilft mir heute beim Umzug.
My brother is helping me move today.
In real life
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