Batterie
/batəˈʁiː/feminine
The English phrase 'battery' can be translated into German as Batterie. Wiktionary also lists Akku.
Meaning: device storing electricity (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Batterie | /batəˈʁiː/ | feminine |
| Akku | /ˈaku/ | masculine |
German speakers use the adjective leer (empty) to describe a battery that is 'dead', 'flat' or 'empty'.
Which one should you use?
Akku is an informal abbreviation of 'Akkumulator' used for rechargeable batteries.
How does it change in a sentence?
Batterie is a feminine noun, meaning it takes feminine articles and adjectives (for example, die leere Batterie). Akku is a masculine noun, so it takes masculine articles and adjectives (for example, der leere Akku).
How do you pronounce it?
/batəˈʁiː/
Did you know?
- In a military context, a Batterie refers to a unit of artillery, a meaning that existed in German long before the invention of the electronic battery.
- The term Akkumulator comes from the Latin 'accumulare', meaning 'to heap up', describing how the device stores energy.
- German distinguishes strictly between Batterie (primary cells) and Akku (secondary cells) in daily speech, whereas English often uses 'battery' for both.
Examples in context
- Mein Akku ist leer.My battery is flat.This sentence is useful for saying your battery is flat using Akku.Tatoeba #1342899 by al_ex_an_der, translation #1342902 by sundown
- Die Batterie ist leer.The battery died.This sentence is useful for saying the battery died using Batterie.Tatoeba #451315 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #279224 by CK
- Mein Akku ist fast leer.My battery is almost dead.This sentence is useful for saying your battery is almost dead using Akku.Tatoeba #7106903 by Luiaard, translation #3658391 by Hybrid
- Bitte tauschen Sie die Batterie in meinem Laptop aus.Please replace the battery in my laptop.
- Hast du noch eine Batterie für die Fernbedienung?Do you have a battery for the remote control?
- Mein Handy-Akku ist leer. Ich muss ihn aufladen.My phone battery is empty. I need to recharge it.
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are looking for a new remote control battery.
- SarahHaben wir noch eine Batterie?Do we have another battery?
- LukasIch glaube nicht, Lukas sucht schon.I don't think so, Lukas is already looking.
- SarahDie Batterie ist leider kaputt.Unfortunately, the battery is broken.
- LukasDann kaufen wir morgen eine neue.Then we will buy a new one tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “battery” translations and entries Batterie, Akku, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
