It’s who you tuck in at night, raise with love, or proudly introduce to friends and family. In German, it’s die Tochter. This is your German Word of the Day—warm, personal, and one of the most essential family-related nouns you'll need.

The noun Tochter means daughter, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Whether in casual conversation or official forms, you’ll see it used often—especially in family life.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Tochter (not sure how to get noun genders right? Our video lesson teaches you the system in a way that sticks).

Pronunciation

Tochter is pronounced [TOKH-ter]

• Toch with a German ch (like in Bach)

• ter as in “terrace,” but shorter

• Stress on the first syllable: TOCHter

Example sentences

• Meine Tochter ist sieben Jahre alt.
  My daughter is seven years old.

• Sie hat eine sehr kluge Tochter.
  She has a very smart daughter.

• Tochter und Mutter wohnen im selben Haus.
  Daughter and mother live in the same house.

Nuance and usage tips

Tochter is used exactly like “daughter” in English, with both literal and figurative meanings.

👨‍👩‍👧 Literal:

• Tochterkind – affectionate way to say “my daughter” (used informally)

• Einzeltochter – only daughter

• Pflegetochter – foster daughter

• Stieftochter – stepdaughter

🏛️ Figurative or poetic:

• Tochter Zion – Daughter Zion (in religious or cultural texts)

• Tochtergesellschaft – subsidiary company (literally “daughter company”)

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Ich muss meine Tochter vom Kindergarten abholen."
  I have to pick up my daughter from kindergarten.

• "Unsere Tochter hat bald Geburtstag."
  Our daughter’s birthday is coming up.

• "Ist das Ihre Tochter?"
  Is that your daughter?

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Jana: Wer ist das auf dem Foto?
Tobias: Das ist meine Tochter.
Jana: Oh, wie süß! Wie alt ist sie?
Tobias: Sechs. Und ganz schön frech.

Translation:
Jana: Who’s that in the photo?
Tobias: That’s my daughter.
Jana: Oh, how cute! How old is she?
Tobias: Six. And very cheeky.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Tochter spielt draußen.
The daughter is playing outside.

Accusative:
Ich sehe die Tochter jeden Tag.
I see the daughter every day.

Dative:
Ich gebe der Tochter ein Geschenk.
I’m giving the daughter a gift.

Genitive:
Das ist das Zimmer der Tochter.
That’s the daughter’s room.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Tochterunternehmen – subsidiary company

• Tochtergesellschaft – same meaning, used interchangeably

• Tochterkirche – branch church

• Tochterrolle – daughter role (in psychology or family therapy)

• Töchter – plural form: daughters

🧡 Fun fact: Germans often use Tochterkind as a loving nickname at home, especially when speaking warmly about their little girl—even when she’s already grown up.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Tochter
🎥 Want to build a stronger foundation in German? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns with visuals, examples, and grammar tips that make them stick—perfect for busy parents too.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Tor means? Some daughters are great at scoring one.
And what about Tradition? Every family, especially with a Tochter, creates its own.