Ober

noun
waiter, head waiter
B1

Ober: masculine noun meaning 'waiter' and 'head waiter/maître'. Use definite article der. Plural often unchanged (die Ober). Declension irregular: genitive singular des Obers; dative plural den Obern. Common in restaurants; more formal or regional than 'Kellner'. Used in German-speaking restaurants and hotels; sometimes used jokingly.

Examples

Der Gast rief den Ober, weil die Rechnung fehlerhaft war.
The guest called the waiter because the bill was incorrect.
Der Ober brachte uns die Speisekarte.
The waiter brought us the menu.
Der Ober des Hauses begrüßte jeden Gast persönlich.
The head waiter welcomed every guest personally.

Details

PluralOber

Declension

CaseSingularPlural
nominativeder Oberdie Ober
genitivedes Obersder Ober
dativedem Oberden Obern
accusativeden Oberdie Ober

Mnemonics

👁️Picture a waiter in a jacket with the label 'Ober' on his name tag
👂Sounds like 'offer' — the waiter offers you the menu
⚧️der = imagine a male waiter (der) holding a tray

Notes

Traditional term for a waiter, somewhat formal/old-fashioned in parts of Germany; still common in restaurant contexts.

Category

Vocabulary Explorer

Related Words

Nearby in Dictionary