German word

Bursche

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈbʊɐ̯ʃə/

Meaning

  • masculine nounboy

Example

Wir haben zwei Burschen gesehen.

We saw two boys.

Illustration for Bursche (boy)

More examples

Ein ehrlicher Bursche brachte das verlorene Portemonnaie zurück.

An honest boy returned the lost wallet.

Core concept

A young male seen as a recognizable fellow rather than a small child, with a tone ranging from familiar to mildly dismissive.

Common phrases

  • ein kecker Bursche

    cheeky boy

  • ein ehrlicher Bursche

    honest boy

  • ein tapferer Bursche

    brave boy

Similar words

Junge: A common everyday word for a boy or teenage boy.
Kerl: An informal word for a man with a sense of toughness or roughness.

Definition in German

Ein junger Mann, oft in lockerer oder leicht abschätziger Redeweise gebraucht.

Word origin

Bursche comes through Middle High German burse or bursche from Latin bursa, first referring to a student community supported by a common purse and later to a young man.

Usage tips

  • Bursche is a weak masculine noun, so its singular uses Burschen in the genitive, dative, and accusative cases.

Other meanings

  • young mannoun
  • youthnoun

Opposites

  • Erwachseneradultnoun

Related words

  • Burschenschaftstudent fraternitynoun
  • burschigmanlyadjective

Word lists with this word