Someone who leads others—on a hike, through a museum, or in a government—can be called a Führer in German. But be warned: this word is not just about leadership—it’s historically charged and emotionally loaded.
The noun Führer means leader, guide, or driver, depending on the compound and context. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, though it is almost never used on its own in modern spoken German due to its infamous association with Adolf Hitler, who was known as der Führer during the Nazi regime.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Führer.
Pronunciation
Führer is pronounced [Few-rah].
- The “ü” is rounded like in French lune or tu,
- The double “r” is pronounced lightly and often softened, and
- The second syllable “er” ends with a reduced “uh” sound.
It’s not difficult to pronounce—but it’s one of the most politically and emotionally sensitive words in the German language.
Example sentences (only with compound forms):
- Der Reiseführer kennt die besten Orte in der Stadt.
The travel guide knows the best places in town. - Der Zugführer informierte die Passagiere über die Verspätung.
The train conductor informed passengers about the delay. - Sie arbeitet als Museumsführerin.
She works as a museum guide.
Nuance and usage tips
⚠️ VERY IMPORTANT:
In modern German, the standalone word
Führer is rarely used without a compound, because of its central role in Nazi propaganda and its association with Adolf Hitler.
That said, Führer survives widely and acceptably in compound words such as:
- Reiseführer – travel guide (person or book)
- Zugführer – train conductor
- Museumsführer – museum guide
- Berufsführer – career advisor
- Fahrradführer – bicycle leader/escort (e.g., in group rides)
These are considered completely neutral and common in daily life.
In military, political, or ideological contexts, the word is avoided. Germans typically use:
- Leiter(in) – leader, director
- Chef(in) – boss
- Vorgesetzte(r) – superior
Grammatical case examples (using compound only):
- Nominative:
Der Reiseführer war sehr sympathisch.
The tour guide was very friendly. - Accusative:
Ich habe den Museumsführer verloren.
I lost the museum guide. - Dative:
Mit dem Zugführer konnte man nicht diskutieren.
You couldn’t argue with the train conductor. - Genitive:
Wegen des Fahrradführers sind alle sicher angekommen.
Thanks to the bike leader, everyone arrived safely.
Masculine pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- führen – to lead
- Führung – leadership, guidance (more neutral and widely used)
- Reiseführer – travel guide
- Zugführer – train conductor
- Anführer – leader (e.g., of a group—this word is safer in modern speech)
Historical note:
During the Nazi era, Hitler was referred to as der Führer, which gave the word an intensely charged political meaning. Today, even Germans who know only a little history avoid using Führer on its own.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Fuehrer
🎥 Learn Führer and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns (including the tricky ones) in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
For “leader” in everyday modern usage, Leiter(in), Chef(in), or Vorgesetzte(r) are almost always preferable. Only use Führer in neutral compound words—where it still thrives. Outside those compounds, it’s best avoided.
Ready for two more German words of the day? How about Führung or Gesellschaft?