Sorry! Search is currently unavailable while the database is being updated, it will be back in 5 mins!

German Computer Nouns

If you subscribe to Yabla, technology and computers likely play a significant role in your life. To augment a previous lesson on verbs related to computers, today we'll cover nouns related to computers and internet technology. 

First, let's look at the words for the various parts of a computer, such as the hard drive, the keyboard, and the screen. The noun der Rechner can mean both "the processor" and "the computer" depending on the context. Although many words have been adopted from English (such as der Computer or der Laptop), there's still a lot of vocabulary to learn:

banner PLACEHOLDER

 

Die Rechner könnten anschließend von Kriminellen zu einem Botnetz verbunden und ferngesteuert werden.

The processors could, consequently, be connected to a botnet by criminals and operated remotely.

Captions 28-29, Apple-Trojaner: Wie man ihn beseitigt

 Play Caption

 

Aber ist ja nicht schlimm, weil das Originalmaterial insgesamt gerettet wird, und das können die immer noch auf der Festplatte mal irgendwann ...

But that is not so bad, because the entire original material is saved and they can still, on the hard drive at some point...

Captions 30-31, RT Radiotonteam: Erinnerungen retten

 Play Caption

 

Wenn du auf deiner Tastatur keine Taste für die Umlaute hast, kannst du stattdessen notfalls auch Ae für Ä, Oe für Ö und Ue für Ü schreiben.

If you don't have an umlaut key on your keyboard, you can also, if need be, write Ae for Ä, Oe for Ö, and Ue for Ü.

Captions 20-21, Deutsch mit Donna Blitz: Das Alphabet

 Play Caption

 

Sieht man das dann auf einem kleinen Bildschirm oder hat man einen Riesenbildschirm?

Do you see it on a small screen then or do you have a giant screen?

Caption 4, Rhein-Main-TV: Interview mit Edmund Stössel

 Play Caption

 

In diesem Grid können tausende Forschungsinstitute und Universitäten ihre Datenspeicher und Rechner gemeinsam nutzen.

In this grid thousands of research institutes and universities can use their data storage devices and computers jointly.

Captions 38-39, Die Weltmaschine: Der LHC-Teilchenbeschleuniger

 Play Caption

 

Ich geh nicht eher, bevor du mir die Speicherkarte gegeben hast.

I'm not leaving until you've given me the memory card.

Caption 45, Die Pfefferkörner: Alles auf Anfang

 Play Caption

 

Sie müssen die Möglichkeit haben zu posten, mit dem Smartphone, Tablet, Laptop, immer und überall.

They have to be able to post with a smartphone, tablet, laptop — anytime and anywhere.

Captions 13-15, Nicos Weg: Das Internet

 Play Caption

 

banner PLACEHOLDER

Next, there is specific vocabulary related to the internet. Here, there is quite a lot of vocabulary adopted from English, so it's a matter of knowing the article and exactly how it's pronounced. 

 

Wenn ich das melde, dann stellt der Erpresser den Film ins Netz.

If I report it, then the blackmailer will put the video on the internet.

Caption 15, Die Pfefferkörner: Cybermobbing

 Play Caption

 

Sie will über das WLAN des ICEs im Internet surfen.

She wants to surf the internet via the ICE's WLAN.

Caption 66, Galileo - Zug vs. Flugzeug: Von München nach Berlin

 Play Caption

 

Wie die Internetseite National Geographic News berichtet, hat Cameron vor ein paar Tagen nahe Papua-Neuguinea eine Testfahrt unternommen.

As the internet site National Geographic News reports, Cameron performed a trial run a few days ago near Papua, New Guinea.

Captions 19-20, Expedition Marianengraben: Zum tiefsten Punkt der Erde

 Play Caption

 

An welche E-Mail-Adresse soll ich Ihnen die Unterlagen schicken?

What email address should I send the documents to?

Caption 30, Berufsleben: das Vorstellungsgespräch

 Play Caption

 

Further Learning
For help with pronunciation, go to Yabla German  and listen to the examples. Also, can you guess the meaning of der Router, die Maus, and das Lokalnetz?

German Computer Verbs

This week, let's look at some verbs related to computers and technology! Many of these phrases are intuitive for anyone who speaks English, for example eine Mail öffnen or ein Fenster schließen, or ein Programm neu starten

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Below, you can see that the verb anhängen ("to attach") also works for email attachments:

 

Es sieht so aus, als hätte ich die PDF-Datei an die E-Mail angehängt.

It looks as though I attached the PDF file in an email.

Caption 36, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

However, it is often necessary to learn some new vocabulary. For example, to unlock a computer or cell phone, we use the verb entsperren or freischalten, and not aufschließen or entriegeln as you would for a door. And then, of course, there are the words that are relatively new to both languages. 

 

Den Mac-Nutzern empfehlen die Spezialisten, ein von Apple bereitgestelltes Sicherheitsupdate herunterzuladen und zu installieren.

The specialists recommend Mac users download and install a security update that has been provided by Apple.

Captions 15-16, Apple-Trojaner - Wie man ihn beseitigt

 Play Caption

 

Mein Management hat mir eine E-Mail weitergeleitet.

My management forwarded me an e-mail.

Caption 23, Schauspielerin - Jessica Schwarz - Part 1

 Play Caption

 

Ich habe auch ein E-Mail-Konto für Sie eingerichtet, welches Sie überprüfen können, sobald Sie eingeloggt sind.

I have set up an email account for you as well, which you can check as soon as you are logged in.

Captions 34-35, Berufsleben das Vorstellungsgespräch - Part 4

 Play Caption

 

The infinitive forms of the verbs and participles from the examples above are anhängen ("to attach"), herunterladen ("to download"), installieren ("to install"), weiterleiten ("to forward"), and sich einloggen ("to log in").

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Further Learning
For a list of words (including nouns and adjectives) related to computers and technology, you can look at this extensive list. Missing from this list are many "Denglisch" verbs related to technology (downloaden, updaten...), but these should not be used in your German class anyway! They are often used in office settings, but are still essentially slang and used mostly among younger co-workers. It is best to know the real German words.

Doch, the German Super-Word!

Faster than a short sentence, more powerful than a rebuttal, and able to refute strong statements in a single syllable... DOCH

The multi-functional word doch, in some cases fulfilling the role of “but” (or “still” or “nevertheless”) in English, has the capability to do with one word what in English requires an entire phrase: to negate a preceding negative statement with an affirmative. In German, English phrases such as “On the contrary” and “Yes, I do”  can be replaced with the monosyllabic doch.

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Before you attempt to prematurely launch a speedy doch at an angry policeman or boss, however, let us first examine the simpler usages of doch translated as “but”:

 

Doch jeder weiß hier, das ist die Luft, die brennt

But everyone here knows, that's the air that's burning

Caption 45, 2raumwohnung - 36 Grad

 Play Caption

 

And “however”:

 

Doch am Ende dieses Weges wird Europa stärker aus der Krise hervorgehen.

However, at the end of this path Europe will go forth from the crisis stronger.

Caption 38, Angela Merkel - Neujahrsansprache

 Play Caption

 

And “indeed”:

 

Doch das scheint sich nun geändert zu haben.

Indeed, now this seems to have changed.

Caption 7, Apple-Trojaner - Wie man ihn beseitigt

 Play Caption

 

And as an affirmative:

 

Aber wir hatten 'nen guten Start in Braunschweig

But we had a good start in Braunschweig

und machen eigentlich ganz gut weiter, doch.

and have actually continued quite well, really.

Caption 8, Cassandra Steen - Interview

 Play Caption

 

Here are some examples showing the full power of doch as a negation:

 

Der Eierkumpel von nebenan, der wusste nämlich nicht, was Pi ist!

The egg pal [egg seller] next to you, he didn't know what pi is!

-Doch!

-Yes, he did!

Captions 22-23, Welt-Pi-Tag - Unser Leben mit der Kreiszahl

 Play Caption

 

Ich weiß nicht, ob man als Frankfurter mal nach Mainz fährt.

I don't know if you'd go to Mainz as someone from Frankfurt.

-Doch, war ich auch schon...

-Yes, you would. I've been there too...

Captions 19-20, Museumsuferfest - Jazzmusiker Daniel Stelter

 Play Caption

 

Here we see doch first in the affirmative sense, then in the more sophisticated negation sense, all in a single caption: 

 

Männer kommen doch nicht hierher, oder? -Doch, natürlich.

Men don't really come here, or? -Yes they do, of course.

Caption 24, Waxhouse - Brasilianische Haarentfernung

 Play Caption

 

So remember the the two main uses of doch

1. As a simple affirmative (“really”), negating adverb (“however”), or transitional word (“but”):

Er hat es doch nicht getan.

He did not really do it.

Doch wissen wir, was es bedeutet.

But we know what it means.

2. As an all-powerful negation to a previous negative statement: 

Er hat es nicht getan. -Doch.

He did not do it. -Yes, he did do it.

Sie waren nicht dort. -Doch.

They were not there. -Yes, they were there.

By learning the use of the powerful doch, you will be able to negate, with a minimum of syllables, any negative statements with which you disagree!

Hast du nicht verstanden? -Doch!

BANNER PLACEHOLDER

 

Learning suggestions:

Get some great explanations and examples of doch here and (as a PDF) here

More advanced learners will enjoy this explanation in German, from Wiktionary.

Vocabulary