Erklärung auf deinem Niveau:
A child is a young person. If you are small, you are a child. When you grow up, you become an adult. You were a child once, too!
A child is a boy or a girl. We use this word to talk about age. For example, 'The child is playing in the park.' It is also used to talk about family, like 'They have two children.'
The word child is used to describe a person who is not yet an adult. It can also describe the relationship between a parent and their offspring. Even if you are an adult, you are still your parents' child.
In English, child is a versatile noun. While it usually refers to a minor, it is frequently used to denote lineage. You might hear someone say, 'He is a child of the 80s,' which is a figurative way to say he grew up during that decade.
Beyond its literal meaning, child carries significant nuance. It can imply innocence or naivety, as in 'childlike wonder.' In academic or legal discourse, it defines specific age-based protections. Understanding the distinction between 'childish' (negative) and 'childlike' (positive) is essential for advanced fluency.
At a mastery level, child functions as a cultural and psychological anchor. It appears in literature to symbolize purity or the 'inner self.' Etymologically, its connection to the womb highlights the biological imperative of the species. Its usage in idioms reflects deep-seated societal values regarding maturity and growth.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- Child refers to a young person.
- The plural is children.
- It can mean offspring of any age.
- It is a very common noun.
The word child is one of the most fundamental nouns in the English language. At its core, it describes a young person who is still developing physically and mentally. It is a word that captures the essence of youth, innocence, and potential.
Beyond the physical age, we often use child to describe a relationship. If you are 40 years old, you are still the child of your parents. This usage highlights the lifelong bond between generations, reminding us that we never truly stop being someone's son or daughter.
The history of child is fascinatingly old. It traces back to the Old English word cild. Interestingly, in those ancient times, it could even refer to a fetus or a newborn baby.
It belongs to the Germanic language family, sharing roots with the Gothic word kilthei, which meant 'womb'. This tells us that the word has always been deeply tied to the concept of birth and the very early stages of human life. Over centuries, it evolved from cild to the modern spelling we use today.
You will hear child used in many different settings. In casual conversation, we often use it to describe someone's offspring, like saying, 'She has three children.' In more formal settings, it might be used in legal documents to define age limits.
Common collocations include small child, young child, and only child. It is a very neutral term, but remember that in some contexts, calling an adult a 'child' can sound patronizing or insulting, so context is everything!
English is full of fun expressions using this word. For example, 'child's play' means something is very easy to do. 'The child is father of the man' is a famous literary quote suggesting that our childhood experiences shape who we become as adults.
Another popular one is 'an only child', which describes someone who has no siblings. These expressions add color and depth to how we describe our human experiences.
The most important grammar rule to remember is that the plural of child is irregular: it is children, not 'childs'. This is a common trap for learners!
Pronunciation-wise, it is a single syllable. The 'ch' is a soft sound, and the 'i' is a long vowel sound. It rhymes with wild, mild, and piled. Practice saying it clearly to get that distinct vowel glide.
Wusstest du?
It once meant 'womb-child'.
Aussprachehilfe
Long 'i' sound, soft 'ch' at start.
Similar to UK, clear 'd' at the end.
Häufige Fehler
- Pronouncing 'ch' as 'sh'
- Adding an 's' for plural
- Shortening the 'i' vowel
Reimt sich auf
Schwierigkeitsgrad
easy
easy
easy
easy
Was du als Nächstes lernen solltest
Voraussetzungen
Als Nächstes lernen
Fortgeschritten
Wichtige Grammatik
Irregular Plurals
child -> children
Articles
a child
Subject-Verb Agreement
The children are
Beispiele nach Niveau
The child is playing.
The young person is playing.
Subject + verb
I have one child.
I have one son or daughter.
Present simple
The child is happy.
The kid feels joy.
Adjective usage
Look at that child.
See that young person.
Imperative
The child likes milk.
The kid enjoys milk.
Verb agreement
Is the child here?
Is the kid present?
Question form
The child can run.
The kid has the ability to run.
Modal verb
My child is small.
My son/daughter is tiny.
Possessive pronoun
The children are at school.
She is a very smart child.
Every child needs love.
The child lost his toy.
I was a shy child.
The child is sleeping now.
Do you have any children?
The child ran to his mother.
The child was crying loudly.
She is an only child.
The children played in the garden.
He is a child of the city.
The child needs more attention.
They have three children.
The child is learning to read.
He acted like a small child.
The child's imagination is incredible.
She is a child of the digital age.
It is a child's play to solve this.
The children are well-behaved.
He treats his employees like children.
The child is the future of our society.
She is a child of the sixties.
The child needs guidance.
The child is father of the man.
She possessed a childlike innocence.
The child's development is crucial.
He is a child of fortune.
The child was left to his own devices.
A child of the revolution.
The child's perspective is unique.
She is a child of the arts.
The child in him never truly vanished.
He was a child of the wilderness.
The child's curiosity was insatiable.
A child of circumstance.
The child of a broken home.
She is a child of the soil.
The child of the century.
A child of the Enlightenment.
Häufige Kollokationen
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"child's play"
Something very easy
The exam was child's play.
casual"the child is father of the man"
Childhood shapes adulthood
As they say, the child is father of the man.
literary"be with child"
To be pregnant
She is with child.
formal/old-fashioned"child of nature"
Someone who loves the outdoors
He is a true child of nature.
neutral"child of the times"
Influenced by one's era
She is a child of the nineties.
neutral"act like a child"
To be immature
Stop acting like a child!
casualLeicht verwechselbar
Both mean young person.
Kid is informal.
He is a kid vs. He is a child.
Both are family relations.
Son/daughter specifies gender.
My son vs. My child.
Both refer to young age.
Juvenile is legal/formal.
Juvenile court.
Both refer to age.
Minor is a legal status.
He is a minor.
Satzmuster
The child + verb
The child is playing.
I have + number + children
I have two children.
He is a child of...
He is a child of the war.
Treat someone like a child
Don't treat me like a child.
Small child + verb
A small child needs help.
Wortfamilie
Substantive
Adjektive
Verwandt
So verwendest du es
10
Förmlichkeitsskala
Tipps
Memory Palace Trick
When Native Speakers Use It
Cultural Insight
Grammar Shortcut
Say It Right
Don't Make This Mistake
Did You Know?
Study Smart
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Child starts with C for Care.
Visuelle Assoziation
A small person holding a parent's hand.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Use the word 'child' in three sentences today.
Wortherkunft
Old English
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: cild
Kultureller Kontext
Calling an adult 'child' can be offensive.
Highly valued as a term of endearment or legal status.
Im Alltag üben
Kontexte aus dem Alltag
at school
- child development
- school-age child
- child safety
at home
- raise a child
- my child
- only child
legal
- minor
- child custody
- child support
social
- child of the times
- act like a child
- child's play
Gesprächseinstiege
"What was your favorite memory as a child?"
"Do you think children today are different?"
"What is the hardest part about raising a child?"
"Do you have any siblings or are you an only child?"
"What does 'child's play' mean to you?"
Tagebuch-Impulse
Describe your childhood in three words.
What is the best thing about being a child?
How do you define a 'child'?
Write about a time you acted like a child.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenTeste dich selbst
The ___ is sleeping.
Child is the singular noun.
What is the plural of child?
Children is the irregular plural.
The word 'childish' has a positive meaning.
Childish usually implies immaturity.
Word
Bedeutung
Matching meanings.
Standard sentence structure.
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
Remember that 'child' is singular and 'children' is the irregular plural!
- Child refers to a young person.
- The plural is children.
- It can mean offspring of any age.
- It is a very common noun.
Memory Palace Trick
When Native Speakers Use It
Cultural Insight
Grammar Shortcut
Beispiel
The child is playing with a toy car on the floor.
Verwandte Inhalte
Im Kontext lernen
Dieses Wort in anderen Sprachen
Verwandte Redewendungen
Mehr Family Wörter
dad
A1Ein liebevoller, informeller Begriff für den Vater, den Kinder oft benutzen.
sofa
A1Ein Sofa ist ein bequemes Möbelstück für mehrere Personen. Es steht meist im Wohnzimmer und ist perfekt zum Entspannen oder Fernsehen.
forgive
A1To stop feeling angry at someone who has done something wrong or made a mistake. It means you accept their apology and decide to move forward without being upset anymore.
circumpateral
C1Describes something that exists, moves, or is organized around a father figure or the paternal line. It is a rare, technical term used in sociology and genealogy to define structures or behaviors centered on a male patriarch.
circummaterize
C1Wenn man sich von mütterlichem Einfluss oder dem Ursprungsmaterial, aus dem etwas entstanden ist, tief umgeben fühlt.
transpateric
C1Beschreibt, wie der Einfluss des Vaters über biologische Grenzen hinausgeht, wie eine Art übertragene Autorität oder Identität.
protect
A1To keep someone or something safe from harm, injury, or danger. In a family context, it often refers to the way parents or older relatives look after children to ensure they are not hurt.
divorced
A1A status describing a person who was previously married but has legally ended their marriage. It is the state of being no longer joined to a spouse by law.
single
A1A person who is not married or does not have a romantic partner. It can also refer to an individual living alone or a status on official documents.
grandparent
A1Ein Großelternteil ist der Vater oder die Mutter von deinem Vater oder deiner Mutter. Es ist ein Elternteil von deinen Eltern.
