How do you say Genius in German?

Mozart. Einstein. A child who solves a Rubik’s Cube in twelve seconds. Germans call that level of brilliance a Genie. Not to be confused with a Dschinn, the wish-granting spirit (Dschinni in Aladdin).

The noun Genie means genius in German, and it’s used for people of exceptional talent, especially in intellectual or creative fields. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, so this is a great one to know from the start.

It’s a neuter noun, so we say das Genie.

Pronunciation

Genie is pronounced [ʒeˈniː], roughly "zhay-NEE" - not like “genie in a bottle” but more like the French original, with the stress on the second part of the word.

• The “Ge” sounds like the “s” in “measure” or the “g” in “genre.”
• The “nie” rhymes with “knee.”

It’s a sleek, elegant-sounding word - just as a word for “genius” should be.

Example sentences:

• Albert Einstein war ein Genie.Albert Einstein was a genius.
• Sie ist ein musikalisches Genie.She is a musical genius.

Nuance and usage tips

Genie is almost always a compliment - used for someone with extraordinary intellectual, artistic, or creative powers. It’s not restricted to IQ; it can describe vision, insight, or originality: