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 [RIKH-ter]

• “RIKH” rhymes with lick, with a German ch as in Bach

• “ter” like in butter
  Two syllables: RIKH-ter

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

⚖️ Richter refers specifically to a court judge—not a TV personality or talent show judge. It’s a highly respected title in Germany and used with seriousness.

📜 Common related terms include Gericht (court), Urteil (verdict), Anwalt (lawyer), and Verhandlung (trial).

🚫 It is not used casually, and there’s no informal equivalent in the same way that English uses “judge” metaphorically (e.g. “don’t judge me”).

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Der Richter hat lebenslange Haft angeordnet."
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 verteidigt – 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 defends—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 kann man nicht diskutieren.
You can’t argue with the judge.

Genitive:
Die Entscheidung des Richters war eindeutig.
The judge’s decision was clear.

Other ways to say judge in German

There’s no real synonym for Richter in the legal sense. However, in non-legal contexts (like game shows), the word Juror or Preisrichter may be used. Still, Richter is the only word for an official court judge.

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).

🧠 Fun fact: In old Germanic law, a Richter wasn’t always a full-time professional but a respected member of the community called upon to deliver judgment.

📘 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.