German word

Schwule

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʃvuːlə/

Meaning

  • masculine noungay men

Example

Viele Schwule wohnen in dieser Stadt.

Many gay men live in this city.

Illustration for Schwule (gay men)

More examples

Man trifft Schwule oft in Stadtvierteln mit vielen Bars.

People often meet gay men in neighborhoods with many bars.

Core concept

A city map marked with a community label for men sharing a gay identity.

Common phrases

  • viele Schwule

    many gay men

  • als Schwule

    as gay men

  • junge Schwule

    young gay men

Similar words

Homosexuelle: A neutral term for homosexual people of any gender.
Homosexueller: A neutral term for a man who is romantically or sexually attracted to men.
Gay: A common conversational term for a gay man, borrowed from English.

Definition in German

Bezeichnung für einen Mann, der sich sexuell oder romantisch zu anderen Männern hingezogen fühlt.

Word origin

Schwule is formed by substantivizing the adjective schwul, with capitalization and adjective inflection marking the noun.

Usage tips

  • After a definite article, the plural is die Schwulen, while a bare quantifier gives forms such as viele Schwule.

Other meanings

  • gaysnoun

Opposites

  • Heterosexuelleheterosexualsnoun

Related words

  • schwulgayadjective
  • Schwulergay mannoun

Word lists with this word