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alemana

/ah-leh-MAH-nah/

German

A single, perfectly braided pretzel (Brezel) decorated with stripes of black, red, and gold icing, representing the German flag colors.

Use of the adjective alemana (German) to describe a feminine noun, such as 'una receta alemana' (a German recipe).

alemana(adjective)

fA1

German

?

describing a female person or feminine thing

Also:

of Germany

?

origin/nationality

📝 In Action

Mi coche es de fabricación alemana.

A2

My car is of German manufacture.

Ella es una estudiante alemana de intercambio.

A1

She is a German exchange student.

La cultura alemana tiene mucha historia.

B1

German culture has a lot of history.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • germana (German (less common synonym))

Common Collocations

  • ingeniería alemana – German engineering
  • cerveza alemana – German beer

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Matching

Since 'alemana' is an adjective, it must match the gender of the noun it describes. Use '-a' for feminine nouns (like 'mujer' or 'cultura') and '-án' (alemán) for masculine nouns.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting Agreement

Mistake: "El profesora alemana."

Correction: La profesora alemana. (The adjective must match the feminine noun 'profesora'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Placement

Like most Spanish adjectives of nationality, 'alemana' almost always goes immediately after the noun it is describing.

A smiling young woman with brown hair, wearing a simple traditional blue and white Dirndl dress.

The noun alemana refers to a female person from Germany.

alemana(noun)

fA1

German woman

?

female person from Germany

Also:

female German national

?

formal context

📝 In Action

La alemana que trabaja aquí es muy eficiente.

A1

The German woman who works here is very efficient.

Ella es alemana de nacimiento, pero vive en España.

A2

She is a German by birth, but lives in Spain.

¿Conociste a alguna alemana durante tu viaje?

A1

Did you meet any German women during your trip?

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • una alemana rubia – a blonde German woman
  • la embajada alemana – the German embassy (note: this uses the adjective sense 'alemana')

💡 Grammar Points

Using Articles

When using 'alemana' as a noun (meaning 'a German woman'), you must use an article like 'la' or 'una' before it, just like any other person/profession noun.

⭐ Usage Tips

Talking about groups

If you are talking about a mixed group of German people, the masculine plural form ('alemanes') is used to represent everyone.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: alemana

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'alemana' as a noun?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

alemán(German (masculine noun/adjective)) - noun
Alemania(Germany) - noun
alemanes(Germans (plural)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'alemán' and 'alemana'?

'Alemán' is used when describing a masculine person or thing (like 'el hombre alemán' or 'el idioma alemán'). 'Alemana' is used for feminine people or things (like 'la mujer alemana' or 'la cerveza alemana').

Can I use 'alemana' to refer to the German language?

No. The word for the German language is always masculine: 'el alemán'. You would say 'Ella habla alemán' (She speaks German).