Dutch noun reference · frequency-list position 12,629

de tiran: meaning and plural

tyrant, despotic ruler. Check the article, plural, pronunciation and translated examples, then retrieve the noun inside a complete spoken message.

Corpus and license boundary.

The exact spelling appears at position 12,629 in the cited OpenSubtitles-derived Dutch 50k token list. That is a corpus signal, not search volume, CEFR level or proof that the noun sense is equally frequent. Article, forms, glosses, pronunciation and examples are adapted from English Wiktionary via Kaikki under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources and modifications.

How tiran is pronounced

No IPA value is reproduced for this entry. Check a current native-speaker recording before copying the pronunciation.

Say the article and noun together—de tiran—before practising the word in a sentence. This keeps grammatical gender attached to the item you retrieve. Regional speech and sentence rhythm can change the surface sound, so use the transcription as a compact reference rather than as a substitute for listening.

What tiran means

01

tyrant, despotic ruler

Dictionary label: masculine

02

any oppressive, bossy or dictatorial person

Dictionary label: figuratively, masculine

03

a tyrant flycatcher, any bird of the family Tyrannidae

Dictionary label: masculine

An English gloss identifies a sense, not a one-word substitution that works in every context. Look at the surrounding verb, preposition, number and situation in the Dutch example. When several meanings are listed, practise one meaning at a time and state a concrete context before changing to another sense.

Article, plural and diminutive

FormDutchSpeaking use
Singularde tiranRetrieve the article and noun as one chunk.
Pluralde tirannenDutch plural nouns take de; also change the verb and quantity where needed.
DiminutivetirannetjeA smaller, familiar or context-specific form; use only when the meaning fits.

Do not guess the article from the English translation. Learn de tiran as a single unit, then contrast it with de tirannen. A diminutive normally uses het, but its pragmatic meaning can be neutral, literal, affectionate or dismissive depending on context.

Translated examples with tiran

01

Tirannen van Caligula tot Ceaucescu hebben grillen, wreedheid en grootheidswaan gemeen

Tyrants from Caligula to Ceaucescu have whims, cruelty and megalomania in common

These examples are citation-backed language data. First identify what the noun refers to and which words determine or describe it. Then change only one element—person, quantity, time, place or description—while keeping the article and number consistent. That small variation turns a reference example into active speaking practice without inventing a rule from one sentence.

Four-step speaking drill

  1. Say de tiran three times, then add one adjective or location that fits the first meaning.
  2. Build a present-tense sentence with a named person, a concrete place and the singular noun.
  3. Change the message to de tirannen. Update the number, determiner and finite verb instead of replacing only the noun ending.
  4. Ask a follow-up question containing the noun, record the answer, and repeat once with a different detail.

Listen first for meaning and article choice, then for sentence order and pronunciation. Correct the first error that changes the message or blocks the listener. Avoid restarting for every small hesitation: complete the message, note one target, and make the second recording more precise.

Self-check before you continue

  • I retrieve de tiran as one chunk.
  • The singular or plural matches the determiner, quantity and verb.
  • The selected meaning fits the situation.
  • The sentence includes enough detail for another person to understand the reference.
  • I can ask and answer one question with the noun without reading the page.

Questions about tiran

What does tiran mean?

tyrant, despotic ruler; any oppressive, bossy or dictatorial person; a tyrant flycatcher, any bird of the family Tyrannidae.

Is it de tiran or het tiran?

The cited entry uses de tiran. Keep the article attached when learning and retrieving the noun.

What is the plural of tiran?

The cited plural is tirannen. In a full sentence, also check the determiner, quantity and verb.

Use tiran in a recorded response

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