der Geist
Translation
spirit, mind, ghost, intellect
Examples
Er hat einen scharfen Geist.
He has a sharp mind.
Glaubst du an Geister?
Do you believe in ghosts?
Das ist der Geist der Zeit.
That is the spirit of the age.
Grammar Patterns
der Geist the spirit, mind, ghost The human mind is complex.
Similar Words
die Seele (soul), der Verstand (intellect), das Gespenst (spectre, ghost)
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *gaistaz, the same root as the English word 'ghost'.
Memory Tips
It's a cognate of 'ghost', but the meaning is much broader, including 'mind' and 'spirit'. Think of the loanword 'Zeitgeist' (spirit of the time).