der Sprössling
offspring
A child or descendant, usually used as an affectionate or humorous term.
EXAMPLE
Die stolzen Eltern stellten ihren kleinen Sprössling der Familie vor.
The proud parents introduced their little offspring to the family.
der Sprössling
offspring / shoot
der Sprössling, die Sprösslinge
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Meanings
der Sprössling
shoot
A young shoot or plant that grows out of the ground or from a larger plant.
EXAMPLE
Im Frühjahr treibt neben dem alten Baum ein neuer Sprössling aus.
In spring, a new shoot emerges next to the old tree.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Sprössling, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Sprösslinge |
| genitive | des Sprösslings |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Sprössling | die Sprösslinge |
| accusative | den Sprössling | die Sprösslinge |
| dative | dem Sprössling | den Sprösslingen |
| genitive | des Sprösslings des Sprösslinges | der Sprösslinge |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word family
'Sprössling' (offspring / shoot) belongs to the same word family as 'sprießen' (to sprout) and refers to something newly growing. This connection helps you understand both meanings as forms of 'Nachwuchs' (new growth or offspring).
EXAMPLE
Der kleine Sprössling wächst schnell und braucht viel Pflege.
The little offspring is growing quickly and needs a lot of care.
Context clue
You can usually tell whether 'Sprössling' (offspring / shoot) refers to a child or a plant from the surrounding words: for people, the context often mentions parents or family; for plants, look for words such as 'Boden' (ground), 'Baum' (tree), or 'Trieb' (shoot).
EXAMPLE
Die Eltern nahmen ihren Sprössling zum Konzert mit.
The parents took their offspring to the concert.
Aus dem feuchten Boden ragt ein zarter Sprössling.
A delicate shoot pokes out of the damp ground.
Affectionate tone
When used for a child, 'Sprössling' (offspring) usually sounds affectionate, playful, or mildly humorous. The word often appears with a possessive determiner and an adjective such as 'klein' (little) or 'jung' (young).
EXAMPLE
Unser kleiner Sprössling hat heute seinen ersten Schultag.
Our little offspring has their first day of school today.
In real life
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