Few words are more essential than person. Whether you’re introducing someone, filling out a form, or simply referring to a human being, you’ll need this word constantly. That’s why learning how to say Person in German is one of the first steps in building real-life vocabulary. The German word is die Person, and it belongs to the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German.
Person is a feminine noun—die Person—and it's pronounced almost the same as in English: pair-ZONE, with the stress on the second syllable and a clear German r. It’s easy to learn but packed with nuance, so if you still find German gender a little fuzzy, our quick video lesson will help clear that up in under five minutes.
In German, Person refers broadly to an individual—male or female. Unlike Mann or Frau, it’s gender-neutral and is often used in formal, legal, or descriptive language: eine berühmte Person (a famous person), eine unbekannte Person (an unknown person), or diese Person ist verantwortlich (this person is responsible). It’s also the go-to word when talking about counts: zwei Personen (two people), eine Person pro Zimmer (one person per room).
For contrast, you might think of Sache (thing) or Objekt (object), depending on context. You might also hear expressions like natürliche Person (a real person, as opposed to a legal entity) or juristische Person (a legal person, like a company).
Fun fact: the German word Person doesn’t imply personality the way it sometimes does in English. For that, you'd use die Persönlichkeit (personality) or der Charakter (character).
Example Sentences
Nur eine Person darf den Raum betreten.
Only one person may enter the room.
Sie ist eine sehr offene und freundliche Person.
She’s a very open and friendly person.
Er war die erste Person, die von dem Unfall erfahren hat.
He was the first person to find out about the accident.
Beginner Dialogue
Jonas: Kennst du diese Person?
Lea: Nein, ich habe sie noch nie gesehen.
Translation
Jonas: Do you know this person?
Lea: No, I’ve never seen her before.
Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Person
Need more everyday essentials?
Go back to Pfarrer to understand religious roles in German-speaking life.
Or sharpen your skills with Operation—a word with meanings in hospitals, police work, and beyond.
Viel Erfolg beim Deutschlernen – and I hope you'll remember how to say person in German a week from now.