Family words are some of the first we learn — and some of the most useful. When talking about childhood, relatives, or introducing someone, knowing how to say uncle in German will come in handy again and again.
The word for uncle in German is der Onkel. It’s masculine, and the plural is die Onkel — with no ending change. That’s not unusual in German, especially for borrowed or simple family terms. If you’d like help understanding how gender and articles work, my video lesson on gender makes things clear in just a few minutes.
Onkel is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s a core part of vocabulary for describing family relationships, telling stories, or navigating introductions.
Here’s how Onkel works across all four grammatical cases:
Nominative:
Mein Onkel lebt in Österreich.
My uncle lives in Austria.
Accusative:
Wir besuchen unseren Onkel am Wochenende.
We’re visiting our uncle this weekend.
Dative:
Ich habe meinem Onkel ein Buch geschenkt.
I gave my uncle a book.
Genitive:
Das ist das Auto meines Onkels.
That’s my uncle’s car.
You’ll hear Onkel used with verbs like haben (to have), sein (to be), besuchen (to visit), erzählen von (to talk about), or kennen (to know). Phrases like mein Lieblingsonkel (my favorite uncle), der verrückte Onkel aus Amerika, or ein Onkel väterlicherseits (an uncle on my father’s side) are common in stories and family talk.
The word can also be playful or affectionate in tone — depending on how it’s used.
Here’s a sample beginner dialogue:
A: Wer ist das auf dem Foto?
B: Das ist mein Onkel Thomas.
A: Who’s that in the photo?
B: That’s my uncle Thomas.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it out loud in German. No need to write it — just speak, and make sure to use Onkel or Onkels in your response.
“Was für eine Person ist dein Onkel – oder war es früher?”
What kind of person is your uncle — or what was he like in the past?
This kind of personal reflection helps build fluency, memory, and confidence in using new words.
German Word of the Day
You’ve just learned how to say uncle in German, and how der Onkel shows up in everyday conversation — from family gatherings to fond memories. The more you use real-life vocabulary like this, the stronger your German becomes.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and grow your vocabulary naturally.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Revisit Osten — and explore direction, geography, and culture.
Or check out Ordnung — and learn how this word shapes daily German life.