Vaterunser

German

Alternative forms

• Vater Unser, Vater unser (proscribed)

Etymology

Univerbation of the prayer’s first two words Vater unser: From Middle High German vatir unsir etc., from Old High German fater unser, translation of Latin Pater noster, itself translated from Ancient Greek πάτερ ἡμῶν (páter hēmôn). The postposition of the possessive was still grammatical in Old High German and early Middle High German, but has survived to this day under continuous backing of the Latin. The natural position Unser Vater is attested since the 16th century, but is presently less common.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌfaːtɐˈ(ʔ)ʊnzɐ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Vaterunser n (strong, genitive Vaterunsers, plural Vaterunser)

1. (Christianity) Lord's Prayer; Our Father; paternoster (prayer that Jesus taught his disciples)
2. (dated) an approximate measure of time: as long as it takes to say the Our Father at an intermediate tempo, i.e. about half a minute

Declension

Declension of Vaterunser [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Vaterunser	die	Vaterunser
genitive	eines	des	Vaterunsers	der	Vaterunser
dative	einem	dem	Vaterunser	den	Vaterunsern
accusative	ein	das	Vaterunser	die	Vaterunser

• The dative plural may, less commonly, take the form den Vaterunser.

Synonyms

• Unservater (Unser Vater)
• Paternoster
• Gebet des Herrn