German is a West Germanic language spoken by approximately 105 million speakers around the world. For students learning German as a second or foreign language, learning the vocabulary words for occupations and professions is a great way to start acquiring the language. The following sections provide the German vocabulary words for male occupations, female occupations, and gender neutral occupations.
German Male Occupations
The German vocabulary words for other male professionals with the singular noun first followed by the plural form are as follows:
- der Apotheker/die Apotheker – male pharmacist
- der Arzt/die Ärzte – male doctor
- der Automechaniker/die Automechaniker – male mechanic
- der Bäcker/die Bäcker – male baker
- der Bibliothekar/die Bibliothekaren – male librarian
- der Frisör/die Friseur – male hairdresser
- der Gärtner/die Gärtner – male gardener
- der Installateur/die Installierer – male plumber
- der Kaufmann/die Kaufmänner – businessman
- der Kellner/die Kellner OR der Ober – male waiter
- der Koch/die Köche – male cook, male chef
- der Kosmetiker/die Kosmetiker – male beautician
- der Krankenpfleger/die Krankenpfleger – male nurse
- der Künstler/die Künstler – male artist
- der Landwirt/die Landwirte – male farmer
- der Lehrer/die Lehrer – male teacher
- der Leiter/die Leiter – male manager
- der Lotse/die Lotsen – male pilot
- der Manager/die Manager – male manager
- der Musiker/die Musiker – male musician
- der Polizist/die Polizisten – policeman
- der Schauspieler/die Schauspieler – actor
- der Schriftsteller/die Schriftsteller – male writer
- der Verkäufer/dieVerkäufer – salesman
German Female Occupations
The German vocabulary words for other female professionals with the singular noun first followed by the plural form are as follows:
- die Apothekerin/die Apothekerinnen – female pharmacist
- die Ärztin/die Ärztinnen – female doctor
- die Automechanikerin/die Automechanikerinnen – female mechanic
- die Bäckerin/die Bäckerinnen – female baker
- die Bibliothekarin/die Bibliothekarinnen – female librarian
- die Frisörin/die Friseuse – female hairdresser
- die Gärtnerin/die Gärtnerinnen – female gardener
- die Hebamme/die Hebammen – midwife
- die Installateurin/die Installateure – female plumber
- die Kauffrau/die Kauffrauen – businesswoman
- die Kellnerin/die Kellnerinnen – female waitress
- die Köchin/die Köchinnen – female cook, female chef
- die Kosmetikerin/die Kosmetikerinnen – female beautician
- die Krankenschwester/die Krankenschwestern – female nurse
- die Künstlerin/die Künstlerinnen – female artist
- der Landwirtin/die Landwirte – female farmer
- die Lehrerin/die Lehrerinnen – female teacher
- die Leiterin/die Leiterinnen – female manager
- die Lotsin/die Lotsen – female pilot
- die Managerin/die Manager – female manager
- die Musikerin/die Musikerinnen – female musician
- die Polizistin/die Polizistinnen – policewoman
- die Schauspielerin/die Schauspielerinnen – actress
- die Schriftstellerin/die Schriftstellerinnen – female writer
- die Verkäuferin/die Verkäuferinnen – saleswoman
- der Zimmermann/die Zimmermänner – carpenter
Gender Neutral Occupations
Some occupations in German lack a separate noun for females. The German vocabulary words for gender neutral professionals with the singular noun first followed by the plural form as are follows:
- der Feuerwehrmann/die Feuerwehrmänner – firefighter
- die Führungskräfte – executive personnel
- der Fischer/die Fischer – fisher
- der Matrose/die Matrosen – sailor
- der Maurer/die Maurer – mason, bricklayer
- der Schmied/die Schmiede – blacksmith
Learning the vocabulary words for occupations and professions in German is an excellent way to begin learning the language. As a fun activity, German teachers can combine a lesson on German family vocabulary with a lesson on German occupations vocabulary as a way to practice both word lists.
Sources:
Heather Marie Kosur - About Me I earned a BA in English studies with a minor in creative writing from Illinois State University in May 2007 and an MS in ...
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