laden
/ˈlaːdən/
In German, 'charge' can be translated in several ways depending on the context, but the verb laden is used when referring to charging a battery or device.
The word laden is used as an intransitive verb meaning to gain energy, such as charging a mobile phone or a car battery.
Meaning: amount of money levied for a service (noun)
Which one should you use?
While laden refers to charging a device with energy, other words are used for different meanings of 'charge'. If you mean a financial charge or fee, use Gebühr. If you mean to formally accuse someone of a crime, use anklagen or beschuldigen. If you are specifically talking about charging a battery, you may also use aufladen.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb laden is irregular. In the third person singular present tense, the stem vowel changes to ä, forming lädt. The past participle is geladen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlaːdən/
Did you know?
- The word laden also means 'to invite' in German, so Ich lade dich ein means 'I invite you'.
- The phrase aufladen is often used for batteries, but it can also mean to 'charge up' one's own energy through rest or vacation.
- The German verb laden is a linguistic sibling to the English word 'laden', which describes something heavily loaded or weighed down.
Examples in context
- Wo kann ich mein Handy laden?Where can I charge my mobile?This sentence is useful for asking where to charge a mobile phone using laden.Tatoeba #10027599 by Melang, translation #10042936 by sundown
- Wo kann ich hier mein Auto laden?Where can I charge my car around here?This sentence is useful for asking where to charge a car using laden.Tatoeba #8380610 by Luiaard, translation #8380611 by Luiaard
- Wie oft musst du dein Handy laden?How often do you have to charge your mobile?This sentence is useful for asking about the frequency of charging a mobile phone using laden.Tatoeba #10018893 by Melang, translation #10025877 by sundown
- Die Gebühr für den Reisepass beträgt 60 Euro.The charge for the passport is 60 euros.
- Wir erheben eine monatliche Gebühr für die Nutzung unserer Dienstleistungen.We charge a monthly fee for the use of our services.
- Die Kosten für die Reparatur des Autos waren höher als erwartet.The charges for the car repair were higher than expected.
- Diese Veranstaltung ist kostenpflichtig.This event has an admission charge.
- Unsere Gebühren werden auf Grundlage einer genauen Berechnung festgelegt.Our charges are determined based on an accurate calculation.
- Was ist der Preis für dieses Hemd?What is the price for this shirt?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Hannah are discussing the costs of a delivery service.
- FelixWie hoch ist die Liefergebühr?How much is the delivery charge?
- HannahDas laden kostet nur fünf Euro.The charge is only five euros.
- FelixIst das die einzige Zusatzgebühr?Is that the only extra charge?
- HannahJa, das ist die gesamte Gebühr.Yes, that is the total charge.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry laden, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries laden, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
