Spatz

See also: spatz

Alemannic German

Alternative forms
  • Schpatz

Etymology

From Middle High German spaz, spatze, a diminutive of spare, from Old High German sparo (“sparrow”), from Proto-Germanic *sparwô. Cognate with German Spatz.

Noun

Spatz m (plural Spatze, diminutive Spätzli)

  1. sparrow

German

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ʃpats/
  • Rhymes: -ats
  • audio(file)

Etymology 1

From the diminutive of Old High German sparo.

Noun

Spatz m (genitive Spatzen or Spatzes, plural Spatzen)

  1. (especially southern and western) sparrow
  2. (ornithology, technical) house sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Usage notes

The word may have weak or strong declension in the standard language. In the colloquial, it is almost exclusively strong.

Declension
Declension of Spatz
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Spatz die Spatzen
genitive eines des Spatzen der Spatzen
dative einem dem Spatzen den Spatzen
accusative einen den Spatzen die Spatzen
Declension of Spatz
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Spatz die Spatzen
genitive eines des Spatzes der Spatzen
dative einem dem Spatz,
Spatze1		 den Spatzen
accusative einen den Spatz die Spatzen
1Now uncommon, see notes
Synonyms
  • (sparrow): Sperling
  • (house sparrow): Haussperling
Descendants

Etymology 2

From Spatz (“sparrow”), but with a different plural on the model of the rhyming word Schatz.

Noun

Spatz m (genitive Spatzes, plural Spätze)

  1. an affectionate nickname, mostly used towards children, more seldom towards lovers, almost never with friends
    Hallo, mein Spatz! – Hello, sweetie!
    Hallo, meine Spätze! – Hello, my darlings!
Declension
Declension of Spatz
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Spatz die Spätze
genitive eines des Spatzes der Spätze
dative einem dem Spatz,
Spatze1		 den Spätzen
accusative einen den Spatz die Spätze
1Now uncommon, see notes

Further reading

Luxembourgish
e Spatz

Etymology

Form German Spatz.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ʃpɑts/
    Rhymes: -ɑts
    Homophone: spatz

Noun

Spatz m (plural Spatzen)

  1. sparrow

Synonyms
  • Mësch (the originally Luxembourgish word)
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