Kultur
/kʊlˈtuːɐ̯/feminine
The English word "culture" is translated into German as Kultur.
Kultur is the most common and straightforward term used to describe the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that constitute a people's way of life. For more specific contexts involving matters related to culture, one might use the phrase kulturelle Angelegenheiten (cultural affairs).
Meaning: the beliefs, values, behavior and material objects that constitute a people's way of life (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Kultur is a feminine noun. In the genitive singular case, meaning "of the culture", the form is der Kultur.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʊlˈtuːɐ̯/
Did you know?
- The word Kultur comes from the Latin word cultūra, which originally meant 'tilling the soil'.
- In German, the term Kultur often refers specifically to high art, music, and theater, rather than just a general way of life.
- The concept of Bildungskultur refers to a specific German ideal of self-cultivation through education and art.
Examples in context
- Sie sprachen über Kultur.They talked about culture.This sentence shows how to use Kultur when talking about the subject in general.Tatoeba #1818371 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1388128 by CK
- Die Kultur zerstört Sprachen.Culture destroys languages.This sentence provides an example of Kultur acting as a subject that can perform an action.Tatoeba #3749020 by Jens_Odo, translation #460082 by saasmath
- Er mag die japanische Kultur.He likes Japanese culture.This sentence demonstrates how to use Kultur when expressing a preference for a specific culture.Tatoeba #5600135 by Esperantostern, translation #12766457 by sundown
- Vielen Dank für die Einladung zur Kulturveranstaltung heute Abend.Thank you for the invitation to the cultural event tonight.
- Unser Ministerium ist für kulturelle Angelegenheiten zuständig.Our ministry is responsible for cultural affairs.
- Berlin hat eine beeindruckende Kulturszene mit vielen Theatern und Galerien.Berlin has an impressive cultural scene with many theaters and galleries.
- 99 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are discussing their travels in a cafe.
- MaximilianIch finde die italienische Kultur sehr faszinierend.I find Italian culture very fascinating.
- HannahDas stimmt, besonders das Essen und die Musik.That's true, especially the food and the music.
- MaximilianWir sollten mehr über die lokale Kultur lernen.We should learn more about the local culture.
- HannahJa, Hannah und ich planen eine Reise dorthin.Yes, Hannah and I are planning a trip there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “culture” translations and entries Kultur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kultur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
