01
die Tante
aunt
The sister of a parent or the wife of an uncle.
example
Meine Tante aus Berlin kommt uns am Wochenende besuchen.
My aunt from Berlin is coming to visit us this weekend.
die Tante
aunt
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Use and form of address
When talking about the sister of a parent, you say 'meine Tante' (my aunt). When addressing her directly, you often use the form 'Tante' plus first name.
EXAMPLE
Hallo Tante Sabine, wie geht es dir?
Hello Aunt Sabine, how are you?
Register: Colloquial
The term 'Tante' (woman) for an unknown, usually older woman is colloquial and often meant in a slightly negative or disrespectful way. You should avoid it in polite conversations.
EXAMPLE
Die Tante an der Kasse war ziemlich unfreundlich.
The woman at the checkout was pretty unfriendly.
Cultural context
This meaning is part of the fixed term 'Tante-Emma-Laden' (mom-and-pop store). It refers to a small, traditional grocery store, like the ones that used to exist in many neighborhoods.
EXAMPLE
Als Kind habe ich mein Eis immer im Tante-Emma-Laden an der Ecke gekauft.
As a child, I always bought my ice cream at the mom-and-pop store on the corner.
Register: Scene language
The use of 'Tante' (old queen) for a homosexual man is a specific term from the gay scene. Today it is often perceived as outdated or ironic and should not be used outside this context.
EXAMPLE
Im Club trafen wir ein paar ältere Tanten, die von früher erzählten.
At the club, we met a few older queens who talked about the old days.
Compare with
Tante vs Frau
woman / wife
'die Frau' and 'die Tante' can both refer to an adult female person. However, 'die Frau' is the general word for an adult female person or for a wife. 'die Tante' normally means a specific relative, namely the sister of a parent or the wife of an uncle. Colloquially, 'Tante' can also simply mean a woman, but then it often sounds distant or derogatory. That is why you should normally say 'Frau' for an unknown adult person, not 'Tante'.
Tante
Am Sonntag besuchen wir meine Tante und essen bei ihr zu Mittag.
On Sunday, we are visiting my aunt and having lunch at her place.
Frau
Vor dem Supermarkt fragte mich eine Frau nach dem Weg.
In front of the supermarket, a woman asked me for directions.
In real life
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