das Hähnchen
Meaning and Usage
Das Hähnchen in German refers to a young chicken or a small, tender chicken, often used for cooking. It can also colloquially refer to a small chicken, especially when used in the context of food.
Linguistic Analysis
The word "Hähnchen" is a diminutive form of "Hahn," which means rooster or cock in German. The suffix -chen is added to indicate a small or diminutive version of the word.
Comparisons between German and English
The word "Hähnchen" in German is similar to the English word "chicken," but it specifically refers to a young chicken or small chicken, often used for cooking.
Cultural Context
In German cuisine, "Hähnchen" is a popular ingredient in various traditional dishes, such as "Brathähnchen" (roast chicken) and "Hähnchenschnitzel" (chicken schnitzel).
Example Sentences
- Ich habe gestern ein leckeres Hähnchen gegessen. (Yesterday, I ate a delicious chicken.)
- Für das Abendessen machen wir heute gebratenes Hähnchen. (For dinner, we are cooking roasted chicken today.)
Memory Tips
To remember the meaning of "Hähnchen," you can visualize a small, tender chicken or associate it with popular German chicken dishes like "Brathähnchen."
Additional Vocabulary
- Die Henne (f) - the hen
- Das Geflügel - the poultry
- Das Chicken - the chicken (in English, used in German as well)
Gender and Plural (for nouns)
- Gender: Das (neuter)
- Plural: die Hähnchen
Conjugation (for verbs)
Since "Hähnchen" is a noun, there is no verb conjugation.