Junge
German edit
Alternative forms edit
- Jung (colloquial, regional)
Etymology edit
Fixed nominalisation of Middle High German jung (“young”), from Old High German jung (“young”).
Already occasionally in Middle High German [Term?], later gaining a fixed noun form based on its weak nominative inflection (giving ein Junge instead of ein Junger). The recognition as the normal standard term for “boy” is based on Central and Low German usage and has only fully asserted itself during the 20th century (compare Knabe). The now quite common plural form Jungs (Jungens) is also from German Low German [Term?]. Cognate with English young (noun).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
Junge m (weak, genitive Jungen, plural Jungen or Jungs or Jungens, diminutive Jünglein n or Jüngelchen n or Jüngchen n or (rare, often poetic) Jüngelein n)
Usage notes edit
- The normal plural in writing is Jungen, although the colloquial Jungs is also sometimes seen. The third plural Jungens is not all too frequent and chiefly restricted to northern and (parts of) central Germany.
- Even with the irregular plurals (Jungs, Jungens) the singular declension is always weak (thus with -n in the oblique cases of the singular).
Declension edit
Synonyms edit
Antonyms edit
Hyponyms edit
Noun edit
Junge n
- inflection of Junges:
Related terms edit
Further reading edit
German Low German edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From jung (“young”), comparable to Dutch jongen.
Noun edit
Junge m
Inflection edit
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This noun needs an inflection-table template.