Bube

German

Alternative forms

• Bub (southern)

Etymology

From Middle High German buobe (“knave”), from Old High German Buobo, a male name of unknown meaning. Cognate with Dutch boef (“villain”). Probably also related to boy; see there for more.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /buːbə/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Bube m (genitive Buben, plural Buben, diminutive Bübchen n or Büblein n or Bübelein n or Bübele n, female Bübin)

1. knave; jack (playing card)
2. (regional, Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland) boy; lad
3. (regional, northern and central Germany) rogue; villain; naughty boy

Usage notes

• In northern and central Germany, the word is now used almost exclusively for the playing card. The southern sense “boy” is understood but not used. The older regional sense “rogue, villain” has become chiefly restricted to the diminutive Bübchen or to fixed combinations and compounds (böser Bube, Bubenstreich, Spitzbube, etc.).

Synonyms

• (jack): Bauer
• (boy): Junge, Knabe
• (rogue): Gauner; Schlingel; Schuft

Antonyms

• (by gender) Mädchen, Mädel (colloquial)
• (by age) Mann, Greis

Derived terms

• Spitzbube
• Kreuzbube
• Pikbube
• Herzbube
• Karobube

Descendants

• → Esperanto: bubo
• → Ido: bubo

Further reading

• “Bube” in Duden online