Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kaiserreich | /ˈka͜izɐra͜iç/ | neuter |
| Kaisertum | /ˈkaɪ̯zɐˌtuːm/ | neuter |
A German empire is a political unit ruled by an emperor. In formal contexts, you may also use Imperium for empire or Herrschaft to describe a realm or dominion.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Kaiserreich is a compound of Kaiser (emperor) and Reich (realm, empire or kingdom), literally meaning emperor's realm.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between Kaiserreich and Kaisertum. Kaiserreich refers to the physical or political territory of an emperor, whereas Kaisertum refers more abstractly to the status or the office of being an empire or an emperor.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Kaiserreich is Kaiserreiche. In the genitive singular case, the word takes an -s ending, appearing as des Kaiserreichs (of the empire).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkaizɐraiç/
Did you know?
- The word Kaiser itself is a loanword from the Latin 'Caesar', meaning the German word for emperor is actually an adapted title of a Roman dictator.
- The suffix '-tum' in Kaisertum is a linguistic relative of the English suffix '-dom', as seen in words like 'kingdom' or 'freedom'.
- While Kaiserreich implies a territory, the word Reich alone can also refer to a spiritual or cosmic order, such as the 'Kingdom of God' written as Gottesreich.
Examples in context
- Der Kaiser Qin Shi Huang gründetete 221 v. Chr. das chinesische Kaiserreich.The emperor Qin Shi Huang founded the Chinese Empire in 221 BC.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the word Kaiserreich in a historical context.Tatoeba #13931967 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13931969 by Ioan_Cristian
- Das Römische Reich war ein bedeutendes Imperium.The Roman Empire was a significant empire.
- Das Deutsche Kaiserreich existierte von 1871 bis 1918.The German Empire existed from 1871 to 1918.
- Das alte Kaiserreich zerbrach sehr plötzlich.The old empire collapsed very suddenly.
- Er studiert die Geschichte des römischen Kaiserreichs.He is studying the history of the Roman empire.
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are discussing a history documentary in a cafe.
- JulianWar das Kaiserreich in dem Film sehr mächtig?Was the empire in the film very powerful?
- HannahJa, Julian, es kontrollierte viele Länder.Yes, Julian, it controlled many countries.
- JulianDas klingt nach einer spannenden Ära.That sounds like an exciting era.
- HannahAbsolut, die Geschichte ist wirklich faszinierend.Absolutely, the history is truly fascinating.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “empire” translations and entries Kaiserreich, Kaisertum, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kaiserreich, Kaisertum, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
