01
der Sohn
son
A male child in relation to his parents.
example
Der Sohn meiner Nachbarin studiert jetzt in einer anderen Stadt.
My neighbor's son is now studying in another city.
der Sohn
son
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Sentence structure and genitive
To express belonging, you can use the genitive or the preposition 'von' (of/from). In spoken German, 'der Sohn von [person]' (the son of [person]) is very common.
EXAMPLE
Das ist Peters Sohn.
That is Peter's son.
Typical collocations
Common adjectives that describe the order or number of sons are 'ältester Sohn' (oldest son), 'jüngster Sohn' (youngest son), and 'einziger Sohn' (only son).
EXAMPLE
Ihr ältester Sohn arbeitet als Arzt.
Her oldest son works as a doctor.
Fixed expression
The phrase 'Sohn der Stadt' (son of the city) or 'Sohn des Landes' (son of the country) is often used for famous men who were born in a particular place or were active there. It has an honorable and often historical character.
EXAMPLE
Albert Einstein wird oft als berühmter Sohn der Stadt Ulm bezeichnet.
Albert Einstein is often described as a famous son of the city of Ulm.
Compare with
Sohn vs Kind
child
'Kind' and 'Sohn' can both refer to a person in a family. 'Kind' is more general: it can be a boy or a girl, and it can also mean one's own son or daughter, regardless of age. 'Sohn' is more specific and always means a male child in relation to his parents. Learners may confuse the words because a son is also his parents' child. If gender is important, you say 'Sohn'; if you are talking generally about children or offspring, 'Kind' fits better.
Sohn
Nach der Arbeit holt der Kunde seinen Sohn vom Fußballtraining ab.
After work, the customer picks up his son from soccer practice.
Kind
Die Lehrerin spricht am Abend mit dem Kind über den neuen Kurs.
In the evening, the teacher talks with the child about the new course.
In real life
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