Mensch

See also: mensch, mènsch, and Mënsch

German

Etymology

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from man (whence modern Mann). (The word is retained as an adjective in some German dialects.) Compare Yiddish מענטש‎ (mentsh), Dutch mens, Swedish människa, all with the primary sense of ‘person’ or ‘human being’.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /mɛnʃ/
  • audio(file)
  • Homophone: mensch

Noun

Mensch m (genitive Menschen, plural Menschen, diminutive Menschchen n or Menschlein n)

  1. human, human being, person
  2. (interjection) man

Usage notes
  • Mensch is a weak noun in the standard language but is part of a group of nouns with a stark tendency to be strong colloquially so one might hear dem Mensch instead of dem Menschen.
  • In older literature, the genitive des Menschens may occur.

Declension
Declension of Mensch
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Mensch die Menschen
genitive eines des Menschen der Menschen
dative einem dem Menschen den Menschen
accusative einen den Menschen die Menschen

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Hunsrik

Etymology

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from man.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /mɛnʃ/

Noun

Mensch m (plural Mensche)

  1. human, human being, person
    Keen Mensch konnd do leve.
    No human being could live here.

Further reading

Plautdietsch

Etymology

From Middle Low German mensche, minsche, from Old Saxon mennisk, mennisko, from Proto-Germanic *menniskaz.

Noun

Mensch m (plural Menschen)

  1. human, human being, person
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