German Conversation · Level 72
58 words
German word
Graf
Pronunciation
IPA/gʁaːf/
Meaning
- masculine nouncount
Example
Ich habe den Grafen im Park gesehen.
I saw the count in the park.
More examples
Der Graf des Dorfes war freundlich.
The count of the village was friendly.
Core concept
A nobleman linked to a county, carrying both inherited rank and authority over its lands.
Common phrases
der Graf von
the count of ___
ein Graf namens
a count named ___
ein alter Graf
an old count
Similar words
Gräfin: A woman holding the rank of count or married to one.
Fürst: A princely ruler of a small state or domain.
Baron: A nobleman of lower rank who held a modest landed estate.
Definition in German
Der Titel eines Adligen, oft der Herr einer Grafschaft; entstanden aus einer Verwaltungsfunktion im Mittelalter.
Word origin
Graf comes through Old High German grāvo and Middle High German grave from Latin graphio, an administrative title whose meaning later became noble and hereditary.
Usage tips
- Graf is a masculine weak noun, so the accusative is den Grafen and the plural is die Grafen.