Gespräch
/ɡəˈʃpʁɛːç/neuter
The German word for conversation is Gespräch. Wiktionary also lists Unterhaltung and Konversation.
Meaning: expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gespräch | /ɡəˈʃpʁɛːç/ /ɡəˈʃpʁeːç/ |
neuter |
| Unterhaltung | feminine | |
| Konversation | [kɔnvɛʁzaˈtsi̯oːn] (narrow) | feminine |
A conversation is the expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people.
What does it mean word for word?
Gespräch is derived from the verb sprechen, meaning to speak.
Which one should you use?
Gespräch is the most common, neutral term for a conversation or a specific discussion between people. Konversation refers to the formal art of social conversation or polite small talk.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of Gespräch is Gespräche. The plural of Unterhaltung is Unterhaltungen. The plural of Konversation is Konversationen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈʃpʁɛːç/
Did you know?
- The word Unterhaltung has a double meaning: it refers to both a 'conversation' and 'entertainment'. This reflects the idea that a good talk is a form of amusement.
- In German, the verb unterhalten used in Unterhaltung can also mean 'to maintain' or 'to support', such as keeping a building in good repair.
- The English word 'conversation' and the German 'Konversation' are 'loanwords' that traveled from French into both languages.
Examples in context
- So kommt man gut ins Gespräch.It's a good conversation starter.This sentence shows how to use Gespräch to describe a conversation starter.Tatoeba #2583132 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2583068 by Hybrid
- Das war ein witziges Gespräch.That was a fun conversation.This sentence uses Gespräch to describe a fun conversation.Tatoeba #5089931 by brauchinet, translation #5088453 by CK
- Wir hatten ein gutes Gespräch.We had a good conversation.This sentence uses Gespräch to describe having a good conversation.Tatoeba #8663158 by Melang, translation #1126743 by CK
- Ich würde gerne ein Gespräch mit Ihnen führen.I would like to have a conversation with you.
- Vielen Dank für die interessante Unterhaltung.Thank you for the interesting conversation.
- Lassen Sie uns einen Dialog über dieses Thema führen.Let's have a dialogue about this topic.
- Hast du Zeit für ein Schwätzchen?Do you have time for a little conversation?
- 189 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas meet at a cafe.
- SarahHast du Zeit für ein kurzes Gespräch?Do you have time for a short conversation?
- LukasJa, natürlich, Sarah. Worum geht es?Yes, of course, Sarah. What is it about?
- SarahIch möchte über unser Projekt sprechen.I want to talk about our project.
- LukasAlles klar, lass uns das Gespräch führen.All right, let's have the conversation.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “conversation” translations and entries Gespräch, Unterhaltung, Konversation, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Gespräch, Konversation, Unterhaltung, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
