In every news cycle, in history books, in heated dinner table debates—the word president comes up again and again. That’s why today’s German Word of the Day is a must-have for learners of all levels: der Präsident. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (you can download our free illustrated PDF of all 1000 there), and it pops up in politics, media, organizations, and beyond.

Der Präsident is used not just for heads of state, but also for leaders of universities, courts, clubs, and other institutions. It’s a masculine noun—and if you’re still getting tripped up on German gender, we’ve got a short video lesson that clears up der, die, das quickly and painlessly (especially if grammar isn’t your thing).

The word is pronounced something like pray-zee-DENT, with a strong final t. And just like in English, there's a feminine form: die Präsidentin. Be aware that while Americans might think of “president” as the most powerful person in a country, in Germany the Bundespräsident is mostly ceremonial. The person actually in charge? That would be the Kanzler (chancellor).

One thing to keep in mind: Germans also use the word Vorsitzender in contexts where English speakers might say “chairperson” or “head,” so it's good to learn both. The opposite of a Präsident isn't clearly defined, but depending on the context, you might hear der Bürger (citizen), der Kandidat (candidate), or der Untergebene (subordinate).

You’ll find Präsident in many compounds:

  • Bundespräsident – Federal President
  • Gerichtspräsident – Presiding judge
  • Vereinspräsident – Club president

You might also come across this word in political idioms like:

  • "Das ist eine Entscheidung des Präsidenten." – “That’s a decision made by the president.”

Beginner Dialogue

Sophie: Wer ist der Präsident der USA?
Jonas: Momentan ist das Barack Obama.

Translation
Sophie: Who is the president of the U.S.?
Jonas: At the moment, it's Barack Obama.

Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Praesident

Want more essential vocabulary?
Check out Presse — a word that holds real power.
Or Professor — for titles, prestige, and the academic elite.

Viel Erfolg beim Deutschlernen – keep going strong with der Präsident!

About the Author Stephan

Stephan has been a professional language teacher since the early 2000s. He's been calling Berlin his home since 2006, when he started managing (and founding his own) language schools in addition to teaching German and English. He's the owner of Deutschable and loves writing about language, history, and game changers.

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