Kongress
/kɔnˈɡʁɛs/masculine
The English word "congress" is translated into German as Kongress.
Kongress is used to refer to a large meeting or convention. It is also the specific term used when referring to the legislative body of the United States, known as the US Congress.
Meaning: legislative body (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Kongress can describe a large meeting or convention, it is also the specific term for the US legislative body. In German, the older spelling Kongreß is also used to refer to the two legislative bodies of the USA.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, the term Konferenz is often used interchangeably with Tagung.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Kongress is a masculine noun. To form the plural, use Kongresse. In the genitive case, the noun takes the ending -es, resulting in Kongresses (of the congress).
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔnˈɡʁɛs/
Did you know?
- In a professional German context, calling a small business meeting a Kongress would sound absurdly grandiose, as the word implies a massive scale of attendees and formal organization.
- The word Kongress is used in German to describe the 'Congress of Vienna', a pivotal diplomatic event that reshaped Europe, making the word strongly associated with 19th-century diplomacy.
- If you use Kongress to describe the German parliament, people will assume you are talking specifically about the United States government.
Examples in context
- Der Kongreß ist in Europa.The congress is in Europe.This sentence shows the use of Kongress to indicate a location in Europe.Tatoeba #13544038 by Waldelfe, translation #13019806 by araneo
- Wann ist der Esperanto-Kongress?When is the Esperanto Congress?This sentence uses Kongress to ask about the timing of a specific event.Tatoeba #3750583 by Esperantostern, translation #13579515 by araneo
- Wir sind mit dem Bus zum Kongress gefahren.We went to the congress by bus.This sentence demonstrates how to use Kongress when describing travel to a meeting.Tatoeba #1037475 by Esperantostern, translation #12344065 by Miktsoanit
- Der Internationale Kongress für Medizin findet nächste Woche in Berlin statt.The International Congress on Medicine will take place next week in Berlin.
- Der Kongress hat bedeutende Experten aus der ganzen Welt angezogen.The congress has attracted significant experts from all over the world.
- Die internationale Tagung über Umweltschutz war sehr informativ.The international conference on environmental protection was very informative.
- Die Tagung der Wissenschaftler fand in einem Hotel in München statt.The scientists' conference was held at a hotel in Munich.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Felix are discussing political news.
- SarahHat der Kongress das neue Gesetz schon verabschiedet?Has the congress already passed the new law?
- FelixJa, der Kongress hat gestern darüber abgestimmt.Yes, the congress voted on it yesterday.
- SarahWar das Ergebnis im Kongress sehr knapp?Was the result in the congress very close?
- FelixJa, es gab viele Diskussionen im Kongress.Yes, there were many discussions in the congress.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congress” translations and entries Kongress, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
