It’s what you call people when you don’t want to get too specific—or maybe when you do, but in a casual, judgmental, or even admiring way. In German, it’s die Typen. This is your German Word of the Day, and it’s one you’ll hear constantly in informal speech.

The noun Typen is the plural of der Typ, which means guy, type, or character. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s super common in everyday conversation, from TV shows to schoolyards to coffee breaks.

Its singular form is der Typ, a masculine noun (not sure how gender works in German? Our video lesson helps you lock it in, fast).

Pronunciation

Typen is pronounced [TOO-pen]

• Ty like “too” with rounded lips (like French tu)

• pen like “pen” but with a soft German “e”

• Stress is on the first syllable: TÜpen

Example sentences

• Was sind das denn für Typen?
  What kind of guys are those?

• Ich mag solche Typen nicht.
  I don’t like that kind of guy.

• Beide Typen waren sehr hilfsbereit.
  Both guys were very helpful.

Nuance and usage tips

⚠️ Typen is very colloquial. It’s not rude by default, but it’s not super formal either. Depending on tone and context, it can sound admiring, dismissive, or neutral.

Some common shades of meaning:

• Coole Typen – cool guys

• Komische Typen – weird guys

• Gefährliche Typen – dangerous types

• So Typen wie er – guys like him

The singular Typ is used like “guy,” “dude,” or “character,” and Typen works like “guys” or “types.” It can also refer to “types” in a more abstract or technical way:

• Autotypen – car types

• Charaktertypen – personality types

• Bluttypen – blood types

But when used alone in casual speech, it usually refers to people.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Kennst du diese Typen da drüben?"
  Do you know those guys over there?

• "Das waren richtig nette Typen."
  Those were really nice guys.

• "Mit solchen Typen will ich nichts zu tun haben."
  I don’t want anything to do with guys like that.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Julius: Wer war das eben?
Lina: Keine Ahnung. Irgendwelche Typen von der Baustelle.
Julius: Die haben mich seltsam angeschaut.
Lina: Ach, ignorier die einfach.

Translation:
Julius: Who was that just now?
Lina: No idea. Some guys from the construction site.
Julius: They looked at me strangely.
Lina: Oh, just ignore them.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Typen stehen vor dem Haus.
The guys are standing in front of the house.

Accusative:
Ich habe die Typen schon mal gesehen.
I’ve seen those guys before.

Dative:
Ich hab mit den Typen gesprochen.
I spoke with the guys.

Genitive:
Das ist das Auto der Typen, die wir gestern gesehen haben.
That’s the car of the guys we saw yesterday.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Typisch – typical

• Der Typ – singular form of Typen

• So ein Typ! – What a guy! (can be admiring or critical)

• Typisierung – classification, typing (formal/technical)

👀 Fun fact: The word Typ comes from the Greek typos, meaning a figure or impression—and in German, it’s evolved into a super versatile word that’s more about attitude than definition.

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Typ
🎥 Want to recognize all the most common Typen in German? Our free video course teaches the 1000 essential nouns with pronunciation help, examples, and grammar tips that actually stick.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Tunnel means? That’s where some Typen hang out in crime dramas.
And what about U-Bahn? You’ll definitely meet a few Typen there during rush hour.