How do you say aunt in German?

It’s the one who brings gifts, tells stories, or surprises you with unexpected wisdom - or cookies. In German, it’s die Tante. This is your German Word of the Day - family-centered, familiar, and one of the first relatives you’ll learn to name in German.

The noun Tante means aunt, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Whether you’re talking about your mom’s sister, your dad’s sister, or even a family friend who feels like one - Tante covers them all.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Tante (still not sure when to use die? Our video lesson makes gender simple and memorable).

Pronunciation

Tante is pronounced [TAN-tuh]

• Tan like “tahn” (short and clear)

• te - a soft “tuh”

• Stress on the first syllable: TANte

Example sentences

• Meine Tante wohnt in München.
  My aunt lives in Munich.

• Wir besuchen am Sonntag unsere Tante.
  We’re visiting our aunt on Sunday.

• Tante Karin hat mir ein Buch geschenkt.
  Aunt Karin gave me a book.

Dingsies are cute but very dumb. Guide them through the correct German words towards safety! The more you play, the better your German gets!

Nuance and usage tips

👩‍👧‍👦 Tante refers to a sister or sister-in-law of either parent, and often also to honorary or “chosen” aunts.

Types of aunts (not always formal terms):

• Lieblingstante - favorite aunt

• Großtante - great-aunt (aunt of your parent)

• Tante mütterlicherseits / väterlicherseits - aunt on your mother’s/father’s side

• Tante Emma - literally “Aunt Emma,” but refers to a traditional small grocery store (see below!)

🗣️ Common expressions:

• Bei meiner Tante übernachten - to spend the night at my aunt’s

• Tantenbesuch - aunt visit

• Tantenkuchen - a freely formed, affectionate name for an aunt’s cake; not a fixed cake type

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• “Meine Tante ist wie eine zweite Mutter für mich.”
  My aunt is like a second mother to me.

• “Die Tante von meinem Freund ist echt cool.”
  My friend’s aunt is really cool.

• “Wir feiern Weihnachten immer bei meiner Tante.”
  We always celebrate Christmas at my aunt’s place.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)