fremd
fremd 30 सेकंड में
- Fremd means unknown, foreign, or belonging to someone else. It is a fundamental German adjective for describing strangers and unfamiliar places.
- Commonly used in 'Fremdsprache' (foreign language) and 'fremdgehen' (to cheat). It is essential for navigating new social environments.
- Unlike 'seltsam' (weird), 'fremd' focuses on lack of acquaintance rather than oddity. It requires correct adjective endings when used before nouns.
- In abstract terms, it describes alienation or external control. It is a key concept in German sociology and everyday politeness.
The German adjective fremd is a multifaceted term that primarily denotes something or someone that is not known, not familiar, or originates from another place. At its most basic level, it translates to 'strange' or 'foreign,' but its semantic range extends far deeper into the realms of social belonging, legal status, and psychological states. In a physical sense, fremd describes a person who is a stranger (ein Fremder) or a place that is unfamiliar. However, unlike the English word 'strange,' which often implies 'weird' or 'odd' (for which German uses seltsam or komisch), fremd focuses on the lack of prior acquaintance or the quality of being external to a specific group or system.
- Primary Meaning
- Unknown or unfamiliar to the observer.
- Geopolitical Meaning
- Originating from a different country or culture; foreign.
- Possessive Meaning
- Belonging to someone else (e.g., fremdes Eigentum).
Understanding fremd requires recognizing its role in defining the 'self' versus the 'other.' In German philosophy and sociology, 'das Fremde' (the foreign/the other) is a central concept used to explore how identities are formed through contrast. When you are in a city you have never visited, you feel fremd. When you see a face you don't recognize in your house, that person is fremd. This distinction is crucial for A1 learners because it appears in common phrases like 'Ich bin hier fremd' (I am a stranger here/I don't know my way around).
"In der großen Stadt fühlte er sich anfangs sehr fremd."
Furthermore, the word acts as a prefix in numerous compound nouns, such as Fremdsprache (foreign language) or Fremdenverkehr (tourism). It also carries a legal weight; fremdes Eigentum refers to property that does not belong to you, and damaging it is a specific legal category. The nuance here is 'not mine' rather than 'weird.' This distinction prevents learners from accidentally insulting someone when they simply mean they don't know them.
"Man sollte keine fremden Hunde streicheln."
"Das ist mir völlig fremd."
- Abstract Usage
- Used to describe concepts or behaviors that are alien to one's nature.
"Lügen ist seinem Wesen fremd."
"Ich bin fremd in dieser Gegend."
- Antonym
- The opposite is usually 'bekannt' (known) or 'eigen' (own).
Using fremd correctly involves understanding its role as an adjective and how it declines. When used predicatively (after a verb like 'sein'), it remains undeclined: 'Die Stadt ist fremd.' However, when used attributively (before a noun), it must take the appropriate endings based on gender, case, and number. For example, 'ein fremder Mann' (nominative masculine), 'eine fremde Frau' (nominative feminine), or 'das fremde Kind' (nominative neuter). This is a core skill for A1-A2 learners to master.
- As a Predicate: 'Ich bin hier fremd.' (I don't know this place.)
- As an Attribute: 'Er spricht eine fremde Sprache.' (He speaks a foreign language.)
- As a Substantive: 'Der Fremde' (The stranger/The foreigner). Note the capitalization.
One of the most common idiomatic uses is the phrase 'fremdgehen.' While fremd means foreign/strange, gehen means to go. Together, they form a verb meaning 'to cheat' or 'to have an affair.' This illustrates how the concept of 'outside' (going outside the relationship) is baked into the word. Another important construction is 'jemandem fremd sein' (to be unknown to someone). For instance, 'Dieses Thema ist mir völlig fremd' means 'I am completely unfamiliar with this topic.'
"Wir dürfen nicht mit fremden Menschen mitgehen."
In professional contexts, you might encounter 'Fremdkapital' (debt capital/external capital) or 'Fremdwährung' (foreign currency). Here, the word functions to distinguish internal resources from external ones. When writing, remember that fremd can also imply a sense of alienation. 'Sich fremd fühlen' describes the feeling of not belonging, even in a place that should be familiar, such as one's hometown after many years away.
You will encounter fremd in a variety of everyday and formal situations. In a tourist information center or on the street, you might hear someone say, 'Entschuldigung, ich bin hier fremd,' which is a polite way of saying they are lost or don't live there. In schools, the word is ubiquitous in the form of 'Fremdsprache' (foreign language). Teachers will often ask, 'Welche Fremdsprachen sprecht ihr?'
On the news, fremd often appears in discussions about 'Fremdenfeindlichkeit' (xenophobia), a critical social issue. Here, the word carries a heavy political and social weight. In a more casual setting, you might hear friends talking about 'fremdschämen.' If someone does something incredibly embarrassing on a reality TV show, a German speaker might say, 'Ich habe mich so fremdgeschämt!' (I felt so embarrassed for them!).
In literature and film, the 'Stranger' (Der Fremde) is a classic trope. Whether it's a mysterious newcomer in a small village or an alien from another planet, the word fremd is used to establish their status as an outsider. In legal warnings, you might see signs that say 'Betreten für Fremde verboten' (No trespassing for strangers/unauthorized persons), or warnings about 'fremdes Eigentum' in rental agreements.
The most frequent mistake for English speakers is using fremd when they actually mean 'weird' or 'strange' in a judgmental way. If you see a man wearing a cat suit in the supermarket, he is seltsam or komisch, not necessarily fremd (unless you also don't know him). Using fremd in that context would simply mean you haven't met him before, which misses the point of his unusual attire.
Another mistake involves the distinction between fremd and ausländisch. While they can both mean 'foreign,' ausländisch specifically refers to things from another country (Ausland). Fremd is broader and can refer to anything unfamiliar, even within the same country. You can be fremd in a different neighborhood of your own city, but you wouldn't be ausländisch there.
Grammatically, learners often forget to decline the adjective when it's used before a noun. Saying 'ein fremd Mann' is incorrect; it must be 'ein fremder Mann.' Additionally, be careful with the verb 'fremdgehen.' It is an inseparable-looking but actually separable-like compound in some contexts, but usually treated as a single concept. Saying 'Ich gehe fremd' is very different from 'Ich gehe in die Fremde' (I am going abroad/into the unknown).
Several words share semantic space with fremd, and choosing the right one depends on the nuance you wish to convey. Unbekannt (unknown) is the closest synonym. If you don't know a person, they are 'unbekannt.' However, unbekannt is more neutral, while fremd can sometimes imply a stronger sense of 'not belonging.'
Ausländisch (foreign) specifically relates to foreign countries. A 'Fremdsprache' is a foreign language, but an 'ausländisches Auto' is a car from abroad. Seltsam and kurios are used for things that are odd or peculiar. If a situation feels 'fremd,' it feels unfamiliar; if it feels 'seltsam,' it feels like something is wrong or unusual.
Andersartig (different/diverse) suggests a difference in kind or nature. Extern is used in technical or business contexts to mean 'from the outside.' For example, an 'externer Berater' is a consultant from outside the company. Understanding these overlaps helps in moving from A1 to B2 levels of German proficiency.
How Formal Is It?
उच्चारण मार्गदर्शिका
कठिनाई स्तर
ज़रूरी व्याकरण
Adjective Endings
Compound Nouns
Dative Case with Adjectives
Substantivized Adjectives
Separable Verbs (fremdgehen)
स्तर के अनुसार उदाहरण
Ich bin hier fremd.
I am a stranger here.
Predicative use of 'fremd' (no ending).
Das ist ein fremder Mann.
That is a strange man (a man I don't know).
Masculine nominative: 'fremder'.
Lernst du eine Fremdsprache?
Are you learning a foreign language?
Compound noun: Fremde + Sprache.
Das ist eine fremde Stadt.
That is a foreign/unfamiliar city.
Feminine nominative: 'fremde'.
Ich kenne das fremde Kind nicht.
I don't know the strange child.
Neuter accusative with definite article: 'fremde'.
Sind das fremde Leute?
Are those strange people (strangers)?
Plural nominative: 'fremde'.
Er hat einen fremden Schlüssel.
He has a strange key (not his own).
Masculine accusative: 'fremden'.
Wir essen heute fremdes Essen.
We are eating foreign food today.
Neuter accusative: 'fremdes'.
In diesem Land fühle ich mich fremd.
In this country, I feel like a stranger.
Reflexive verb 'sich fühlen' + 'fremd'.
Bitte nimm kein fremdes Geld an.
Please do not accept foreign/other people's money.
Neuter accusative: 'fremdes'.
Der Fremdenverkehr ist wichtig für Berlin.
Tourism is important for Berlin.
Compound: Fremden + Verkehr.
Ich habe in einem Fremdenzimmer geschlafen.
I slept in a guest room.
Compound: Fremden + Zimmer.
Er spricht mit einem fremden Akzent.
He speaks with a foreign accent.
Masculine dative: 'fremden'.
Das ist fremdes Eigentum.
That is someone else's property.
Neuter nominative: 'fremdes'.
Sie hilft fremden Menschen.
She helps strangers.
Plural dative: 'fremden'.
Wir sind in eine fremde Wohnung gegangen.
We went into a strange/unfamiliar apartment.
Feminine accusative: 'fremde'.
Ist er seiner Frau fremdgegangen?
Did he cheat on his wife?
Verb 'fremdgehen' in Perfekt.
Dieses Gefühl ist mir nicht fremd.
This feeling is not foreign to me (I know it).
Dative construction: 'jemandem fremd sein'.
Es gibt viele Fremdwörter im Deutschen.
There are many loanwords in German.
Compound: Fremd + Wörter.
Er fühlt sich in seiner eigenen Familie fremd.
He feels like a stranger in his own family.
Abstract use of 'fremd'.
Wir müssen uns vor fremden Einflüssen schützen.
We must protect ourselves from foreign influences.
Plural dative: 'fremden'.
Die Kultur war ihnen völlig fremd.
The culture was completely foreign to them.
Dative: 'ihnen'.
Sie hat ein fremdes Kind adoptiert.
She adopted a child that wasn't her own.
Neuter accusative: 'fremdes'.
Man sollte nicht über fremde Angelegenheiten sprechen.
One should not talk about other people's business.
Plural accusative: 'fremde'.
Die Fremdenfeindlichkeit nimmt leider zu.
Xenophobia is unfortunately increasing.
Compound: Fremden + Feindlichkeit.
Er ist völlig fremdbestimmt durch seinen Job.
He is completely controlled by others through his job.
Adjective 'fremdbestimmt'.
Ich habe mich für sein Verhalten fremdgeschämt.
I felt second-hand embarrassment for his behavior.
Verb 'fremdschämen'.
Das Unternehmen nutzt viel Fremdkapital.
The company uses a lot of debt capital.
Compound: Fremd + Kapital.
Die Fremdwahrnehmung weicht oft von der Eigenwahrnehmung ab.
External perception often differs from self-perception.
Compound: Fremd + Wahrnehmung.
Sie wirkte in der neuen Umgebung sehr fremdartig.
She seemed very strange/exotic in the new environment.
Adjective 'fremdartig'.
Er hat sich von seinen Freunden entfremdet.
He has become alienated from his friends.
Verb 'entfremden'.
Wir müssen das Fremde akzeptieren lernen.
We must learn to accept the foreign/other.
Substantivized adjective: 'das Fremde'.
Die Entfremdung von der Arbeit ist ein modernes Problem.
Alienation from work is a modern problem.
Noun 'Entfremdung'.
Seine Ideen waren der damaligen Zeit völlig fremd.
His ideas were completely alien to the time.
Dative: 'der damaligen Zeit'.
Das ist ein Fremdkörper in dieser Architektur.
That is a foreign body (misfit) in this architecture.
Metaphorical use of 'Fremdkörper'.
Sie leidet unter einer gewissen Fremdheit.
She suffers from a certain sense of strangeness/unfamiliarity.
Noun 'Fremdheit'.
Die Fremdfinanzierungsquote ist zu hoch.
The external financing ratio is too high.
Technical compound.
Er betrachtet sich selbst als einen Fremden in der Welt.
He views himself as a stranger in the world.
Philosophical use.
Das Gedicht thematisiert die Sehnsucht nach der Fremde.
The poem themes the longing for foreign lands.
Noun 'die Fremde' (foreign lands).
Wir müssen die Fremdsteuerung unseres Lebens minimieren.
We must minimize the external control of our lives.
Compound: Fremd + Steuerung.
Die ontologische Fremdheit des Seins ist ein zentrales Thema.
The ontological strangeness of being is a central theme.
High-level academic use.
Er verlor sich in der totalen Selbstentfremdung.
He lost himself in total self-alienation.
Psychological term.
Die Dialektik von Eigenem und Fremdem ist komplex.
The dialectic of one's own and the foreign is complex.
Philosophical terminology.
In der Fremde erkennt man oft erst die Heimat.
In foreign lands, one often first recognizes home.
Proverbial usage.
Das Werk ist durchdrungen von einer tiefen Fremdartigkeit.
The work is permeated by a deep strangeness.
Literary criticism.
Fremdnützige Stiftungen dienen dem Gemeinwohl.
Altruistic foundations serve the common good.
Legal/Formal term.
Die Fremdbestäubung ist für diese Pflanzenart essenziell.
Cross-pollination is essential for this plant species.
Biological term.
Sie empfand eine unüberbrückbare Fremdheit gegenüber ihrem Gatten.
She felt an unbridgeable strangeness toward her husband.
Nuanced emotional description.
सामान्य शब्द संयोजन
सामान्य वाक्यांश
अक्सर इससे भ्रम होता है
मुहावरे और अभिव्यक्तियाँ
आसानी से भ्रमित होने वाले
वाक्य संरचनाएँ
इसे कैसे इस्तेमाल करें
Fremd can mean 'belonging to others'.
Fremd vs. Seltsam
- Using 'fremd' to mean 'funny' (use komisch).
- Forgetting the -er ending in 'ein fremder Mann'.
- Confusing 'Fremder' (stranger) with 'Ausländer' (foreigner from another country).
- Saying 'Ich bin fremd' when you mean you are 'seltsam'.
- Using 'fremd' for 'new' (use neu).
सुझाव
Adjective Endings
Always check the gender of the noun following 'fremd' to apply the correct ending.
Compound Power
Learn 'Fremd-' as a prefix to quickly expand your vocabulary by 20+ words.
Polite Inquiry
Use 'Ich bin hier fremd' to excuse yourself when you don't know local customs.
Pronunciation
The 'v' sound is not present; it starts with a sharp 'f' and ends with a 't' sound.
Xenophobia
Be aware that 'Fremdenfeindlichkeit' is a serious term used in political discourse.
Substantivizing
You can turn 'fremd' into a noun: 'Der Fremde' (the stranger).
Alienation
Use 'entfremdet' to describe feeling disconnected from society or oneself.
Cheating
'Fremdgehen' is the standard way to talk about infidelity in German.
Fremd vs Eigen
Always think of 'fremd' as the opposite of 'eigen' (own).
Location
In a new city, everything is 'fremd' until it becomes 'vertraut' (familiar).
याद करें
शब्द की उत्पत्ति
Old High German 'fremidi'
सांस्कृतिक संदर्भ
Fremdbesitz is a key legal term.
Strangers are often addressed formally (Sie).
असल ज़िंदगी में अभ्यास करें
वास्तविक संदर्भ
बातचीत की शुरुआत
"Bist du hier fremd?"
"Welche Fremdsprachen sprichst du?"
"Hast du dich schon mal fremdgeschämt?"
"Warst du schon mal lange in der Fremde?"
"Ist dir dieses Thema fremd?"
डायरी विषय
Wann hast du dich das letzte Mal fremd gefühlt?
Welche fremde Kultur fasziniert dich?
Schreibe über eine Situation, in der du dich fremdgeschämt hast.
Wie wichtig ist es, eine Fremdsprache zu lernen?
Was bedeutet 'Heimat' im Gegensatz zu 'Fremde'?
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालNo, it primarily means unknown or unfamiliar. You can be 'fremd' in your own city if you are in a neighborhood you don't know.
It is neutral. However, in some contexts, calling someone 'ein Fremder' can sound distancing. 'Ein Unbekannter' is more formal.
It is the feeling of shame or embarrassment you feel on behalf of someone else who is doing something embarrassing.
Generally no. Use 'seltsam' or 'komisch' for weird. 'Fremd' is about lack of knowledge.
It means to be unfaithful or cheat in a romantic relationship.
Yes, it is a compound noun and should always be written as one word.
The most natural way is 'Ich bin hier fremd'.
It is a noun referring to foreign lands or the state of being away from home.
Yes, in terms like 'Fremdkapital' (external capital) or 'Fremdfirma' (outside company).
Yes, if it comes before a noun (e.g., 'ein fremder Mann'). If it comes after 'sein', it does not change.
खुद को परखो 180 सवाल
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
The word 'fremd' is the primary German way to express 'unfamiliarity' or 'foreignness.' Mastering it allows you to describe your status as a newcomer, identify foreign objects, and discuss complex social relationships and personal boundaries.
- Fremd means unknown, foreign, or belonging to someone else. It is a fundamental German adjective for describing strangers and unfamiliar places.
- Commonly used in 'Fremdsprache' (foreign language) and 'fremdgehen' (to cheat). It is essential for navigating new social environments.
- Unlike 'seltsam' (weird), 'fremd' focuses on lack of acquaintance rather than oddity. It requires correct adjective endings when used before nouns.
- In abstract terms, it describes alienation or external control. It is a key concept in German sociology and everyday politeness.
Adjective Endings
Always check the gender of the noun following 'fremd' to apply the correct ending.
Compound Power
Learn 'Fremd-' as a prefix to quickly expand your vocabulary by 20+ words.
Polite Inquiry
Use 'Ich bin hier fremd' to excuse yourself when you don't know local customs.
Pronunciation
The 'v' sound is not present; it starts with a sharp 'f' and ends with a 't' sound.
संबंधित सामग्री
संबंधित मुहावरे
general के और शब्द
ab
A1से (समय या स्थान की शुरुआत)। 'कल से मैं आऊँगा।' (Ab morgen komme ich.)
abends
A2शाम को। 'मैं शाम को पढ़ता हूँ।'
aber
A1'aber' का अर्थ है 'लेकिन'। इसका उपयोग दो विपरीत विचारों को जोड़ने के लिए किया जाता है।
abgelegen
B1remote
ablehnen
A2किसी प्रस्ताव या निमंत्रण को अस्वीकार करना। उसने उपहार लेने से मना कर दिया।
abschließen
A2चाबी से ताला लगाना। पढ़ाई पूरी करना या कोई अनुबंध (contract) करना।
abseits
A2abseits का मतलब है कि कोई चीज़ मुख्य क्षेत्र या सामान्य रास्ते से दूर स्थित है।
acht
A1संख्या आठ (8)।
Achte
A1आठवाँ (क्रमवाचक संख्या)।
achten
A2ध्यान देना (auf के साथ) या सम्मान करना।