21 December 2025
How do you say Judge in German?
The German word for judge is der Richter.It refers to the person who makes decisions in a court of law. The female form is die Richterin.
It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German - you’ll find it in legal, journalistic, and everyday contexts.
Gender and Pronunciation
It’s a masculine noun: der Richter (female: die Richterin)Need to brush up on gender rules? Try our video lesson for fast, reliable patterns.
Pronunciation: Richter is pronounced [ˈʁɪçtɐ]. The
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i is short, as in sit; ch is the soft sound in ich, not the back-of-the-mouth sound in Bach.
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The final -er is unstressed, roughly like the a in sofa.
Example sentences
Der Richter verkündete das Urteil.The judge announced the verdict.
Die Richterin hörte sich beide Seiten an.The (female) judge listened to both sides.
Der Richter war streng, aber fair.The judge was strict but fair.
Nuance and usage tips
⚖️ In legal contexts, Richter means a court judge. For a talent-show judge, Juror or Jurymitglied is more usual.
📜 Common related terms include Gericht (court), Urteil (verdict), Anwalt (lawyer), and Verhandlung (trial).
For everyday “judge” as a verb, use urteilen or verurteilen: Verurteile mich nicht! (Don’t judge me!) The noun Richter can also be metaphorical, as in sich zum Richter über andere aufwerfen (to set oneself up as judge over others).
How does this word come up in real conversations?
“Der Richter hat eine lebenslange Haftstrafe verhängt.”The judge ordered a life sentence.
“Meine Schwester arbeitet als Richterin in München.”My sister works as a judge in Munich.
“Der Angeklagte stand direkt vor dem Richter.”The defendant stood right in front of the judge.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Timo: Wer entscheidet eigentlich im Gericht?Eva: Der Richter natürlich.Timo: Und was macht der Anwalt dann?Eva: Der vertritt seinen Mandanten - der Richter entscheidet.
Translation:Timo: Who makes the decisions in court?Eva: The judge, of course.Timo: And what does the lawyer do then?Eva: The lawyer represents the client-the judge decides.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:Der Richter war sehr erfahren.The judge was very experienced.
Accusative:Ich habe den Richter gestern im Fernsehen gesehen.I saw the judge on TV yesterday.
Dative: Mit dem Richter habe ich gesprochen. I spoke with the judge.
Genitive:Die Entscheidung des Richters war eindeutig.The judge’s decision was clear.
Other ways to say judge in German
Richter is the standard neutral word for a court judge. Kadi is a colloquial alternative. In competitions, Juror or Preisrichter may fit instead.
Word variations and tidbits
You’ll find Richter in phrases like Richterstuhl (judge’s bench), Verfassungsrichter (constitutional judge), and Jugendrichter (juvenile court judge). The verb richten means “to judge,” and also appears in Gericht (court).
🧠 Word tip: richten can mean to judge, but also to direct or straighten something. Everyday judging is often expressed with urteilen or verurteilen.
📘 Duden entry for Richter:https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Richter🎥 Want to rule over German vocabulary? Our video course helps you master 1000 key nouns clearly and effectively - with real-life usage built in.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Rache means? It often ends up in front of a Richter.And what about Rechnung? If it’s not paid, court might be next.
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