Female Forms: -in and -esch

Level 4

To name a woman, add -in: de Schüler → d'Schülerin. Many nouns in -er swap it for -esch instead: den Dokter → d'Doktesch, den Noper → d'Nopesch.

How It Works

1. The ending -in
Add -in to the male noun:

  • de Schüler → d'Schülerin (pupil), de Verkeefer → d'Verkeeferin (salesperson)
  • de Kolleeg → d'Kolleegin (colleague), de Frënd → d'Frëndin (friend)
  • de Lëtzebuerger → d'Lëtzebuergerin (Luxembourger)

Some words change a little: de Chef → d'Cheffin (boss), de Kinnek → d'Kinnigin (queen).

2. The ending -esch
Many traditional nouns in -er drop the -er and add -esch:

  • den Dokter → d'Doktesch (doctor), den Noper → d'Nopesch (neighbour)
  • de Professer → d'Professesch (secondary school teacher), de Bäcker → d'Bäckesch (baker)
  • den Direkter → d'Direktesch (head teacher), de Minister → d'Ministesch (minister)

Not every -er noun does this: d'Schülerin, d'Verkeeferin and d'Lëtzebuergerin keep -er and add -in.

3. The plural
-in doubles its n: d'Schülerinnen, d'Kolleeginnen. -esch adds -en: d'Dokteschen, d'Nopeschen. Both follow the n-rule: D'Schülerinne schreiwen en Test.

4. French job names
Words from French often use the French female form: de Coiffeur → d'Coiffeuse.

5. Feminine forms
These nouns are always feminine, and si refers to the person: Meng Nopesch ass ganz frëndlech. Si wunnt nieft eis. In writing, both forms are sometimes given together: Kolleeginnen/Kolleegen.

Examples (6)

  1. Meng Nopesch huet eng Party gefeiert.

    My neighbour had a party.

    Noper becomes Nopesch: the -er is replaced by -esch.

  2. Ech hunn e Rendez-vous bei der Doktesch.

    I have an appointment with the doctor.

    The doctor here is a woman: Dokter becomes Doktesch.

  3. Meng bescht Frëndin ass Lëtzebuergerin.

    My best friend is Luxembourgish.

    Frënd and Lëtzebuerger both add -in.

  4. D'Schülerinne schreiwen en Test.

    The pupils are writing a test.

    The plural Schülerinnen loses its final n before sch by the n-rule.

  5. Déi jonk Professesch ass bei all hire Schüler beléift.

    The young teacher is popular with all her pupils.

  6. Ech schaffe mat enger Kolleegin zesummen.

    I work together with a colleague.

    Kolleeg + -in, with the feminine article enger.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding -in to a noun that takes -esch.

    D'Dokterin kënnt gläich.
    D'Doktesch kënnt gläich.

    Dokter replaces -er with -esch. Check each word in the dictionary, because the ending cannot be guessed.

  • Adding -esch to a noun that takes -in.

    D'Schüleresch ass krank.
    D'Schülerin ass krank.

    Schüler keeps its -er and adds -in.

  • Writing the plural of -in with one n.

    D'Schülerinen hunn Hausaufgaben.
    D'Schülerinnen hunn Hausaufgaben.

    The plural of -in is -innen, with a double n. Before a consonant it becomes -inne by the n-rule.

How It Connects

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Female Forms: -in and -eschLevel 4

Learn This First

Before Female Forms: -in and -esch, learn Languages and Nationalities and Plurals With -en.