It’s the little card that lets you legally get behind the wheel. For Germans, that document is called the Führerschein—a license to drive, and a rite of passage.

The noun Führerschein means driver’s license, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s essential for daily life in many parts of the country and deeply tied to questions of independence, adulthood, and bureaucracy.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Führerschein.

Pronunciation

Führerschein is pronounced [FÜH-rer-shine].

• The “ü” is rounded and fronted (like the French u),
• “Führer” sounds like "FEWR-er" (but note: in this compound, it simply refers to “driver”),
• And “schein” rhymes with “shine.”

It sounds official and a bit stern—fitting for a government-issued permission slip with life-altering potential.

Example sentences:

• Ich habe meinen Führerschein mit 18 gemacht.
  I got my driver’s license at 18.
• Er musste seinen Führerschein abgeben.
  He had to surrender his driver’s license.

Nuance and usage tips

Führerschein is a compound of:

• Führer – driver (in this context), from führen = to lead/drive
• Schein – certificate, license, or permit

So Führerschein literally means “driving certificate.” It's used almost exclusively for a license to operate motor vehicles.

You might also encounter:

• LKW-Führerschein – truck driver’s license
• Motorradführerschein – motorcycle license
• Führerscheinentzug – license revocation
• Führerscheinprüfung – driving test

Its antonym in practice could be Fahrverbot (driving ban), or kein Führerschein (no license).

Grammatical case examples:

• Nominative: Der Führerschein ist zehn Jahre gültig.
  The driver’s license is valid for ten years.
• Accusative: Ich habe meinen Führerschein verloren.
  I lost my driver’s license.
• Dative: Mit dem Führerschein darfst du überall fahren.
  With the driver’s license, you’re allowed to drive anywhere.
• Genitive: Wegen des Führerscheins musste er einen Sehtest machen.
  Because of the driver’s license, he had to take a vision test.

Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des

Word variations and language tidbits

Variation Station:

• Fahrprüfung – driving test
• Fahrschule – driving school
• Fahrlehrer(in) – driving instructor
• Führerscheinentzug – license suspension
• EU-Führerschein – EU driver’s license (standardized across the EU)

Fun cultural note:
Getting a Führerschein in Germany is not cheap—it can cost anywhere from €1,500 to €2,500 or more. The process is famously rigorous, with written theory tests, mandatory driving lessons, and strict practical exams. But once you’ve got it, it’s a major milestone—both legally and socially.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Fuehrerschein

🎥 Learn Führerschein and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/

Ready for two more German words of the day? Do you know how to say guest or present in German?