Asking for Word Meanings in German: “Was bedeutet…?”

Hello! My name is John Doe, and I’m going to help you learn a really useful phrase in German – “Was bedeutet…?” It’s something you’ll use a lot.

Basically, “Was bedeutet…?” means “What does… mean?” It’s the most common and natural way to ask someone for the definition of a German word.

How to Use It

The structure is very simple:

1. “Was bedeutet…” – “What does…”

2. [The German word] – The word you want to know the meaning of.

3. […? ] – This is where the answer will be.

Examples

Let’s look at some examples:

• Ich verstehe nicht. Was bedeutet “Hallo”? (I don’t understand. What does “Hallo” mean?)
• Was bedeutet “Buch”? (What does “Buch” mean?) – This will likely get you the answer: “Ein Buch ist ein gedrucktes Werk.” (A book is a printed work.)
• Ich lese den Bericht. Was bedeutet “Zusammenfassung”? (I’m reading the report. What does “Zusammenfassung” mean?) – You’d probably hear “Die Zusammenfassung ist eine kurze Erklärung des Berichts.” (The summary is a short explanation of the report.)
• Mary fragt: Was bedeutet “Kaffee”? (Mary asks: What does “Kaffee” mean?) – You could reply, “Kaffee ist ein Getränk.” (Coffee is a drink.)

Practical Use

You’ll use this phrase constantly in real-life situations. Imagine you’re at a German restaurant, you see a dish you don’t recognize, or you’re at work and someone uses a technical term you don’t understand. Just ask!

For example, if you hear someone say “Die Präsentation ist wichtig” (The presentation is important), and you don’t know what “Präsentation” means, you can confidently say: “Entschuldigung, was bedeutet ‘Präsentation’?” (Excuse me, what does ‘Präsentation’ mean?)

Tips

• Don’t be afraid to ask! Germans generally appreciate people trying to learn their language.
• Start with common words – greetings, numbers, food items, etc.
• Listen carefully to the answer and repeat it to check you understand.

Good luck! Keep practicing, and you’ll be asking for word meanings like a pro in no time.

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