German word

Dieb

Pronunciation

IPA/diːp/

Meaning

  • masculine nounthief

Example

Gestern haben wir einen Dieb in der Stadt gesehen.

Yesterday we saw a thief in town.

Illustration for Dieb (thief)

More examples

Die Polizei konnte den Dieb nach kurzer Verfolgung erwischen.

The police managed to catch the thief after a short pursuit.

Core concept

A hand disappearing with someone else's wallet while its owner is not looking.

Common phrases

  • einen Dieb erwischen

    catch a thief

  • einen Dieb anzeigen

    report a thief

Similar words

Taschendieb: A person who secretly steals items from someone's pocket or bag.
Einbrecher: A person who enters a home or building to steal, often at night or when it is empty.
Räuber: A person who takes property from others through violence or threats.
Gauner: A person who gets money or property by deceiving people.

Definition in German

Eine Person, die fremdes Eigentum unbefugt entwendet; auch in Zusammensetzungen wie Taschendieb gebräuchlich.

Word origin

Dieb comes from Old High German diob and is related to English thief through shared Germanic ancestry.

Usage tips

  • Dieb is masculine: use der Dieb, ein Dieb, and the accusative einen Dieb; its plural is die Diebe.

Related words

Word lists with this word