Noun
der Ahne
forefather, ancestor (of male or unspecified sex)
C2
rank #11,485
plural Ahnen
Meanings
Noun
- forefather, ancestor (of male or unspecified sex)
- female ancestor
- grandmother
Example sentence
Ihre Ahnen stammten aus Schlesien.
Her ancestors came from Silesia.
Word forms
Noun
singular
der Ahne
plural
die Ahnen
Noun
singular
die Ahne
plural
die Ahnen
The four cases
Singular
Nominativeder Ahne
Accusativeden Ahnen
Dativedem Ahnen
Genitivedes Ahnen
Plural
Nominativedie Ahnen
Accusativedie Ahnen
Dativeden Ahnen
Genitiveder Ahnen
Ahne is a weak masculine noun: every case except the nominative singular takes the same ending.
Usage
- seine Ahnen erforschen — Research one's ancestors; the plural is common in family-history contexts.
- der Ahne / die Ahne — A male or unspecified ancestor versus a female ancestor; gender distinguishes the singular senses.
Einer ihrer Ahnen hatte im Dorf eine kleine Mühle betrieben.
One of her ancestors had run a small mill in the village.