Ingenieurwesen
neuter
Engineering in German is Ingenieurwesen. Wiktionary also lists Ingenieurwissenschaft and Engineering.
Meaning: application of science to the needs of humanity (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ingenieurwesen | neuter | |
| Ingenieurwissenschaft | [ɪnʒenˈjøːɐ̯vɪsn̩ʃaft] (narrow) | feminine |
| Engineering | neuter |
Engineering refers to the application of science to the needs of humanity.
What does it mean word for word?
Ingenieurwesen is a compound of Ingenieur (engineer) and the suffix -wesen, which denotes a field, system or body of work.
Which one should you use?
While Ingenieurwesen refers to the general field or practice of engineering, Ingenieurwissenschaft specifically emphasizes the scientific and academic study of engineering principles, often translated as 'engineering science'. You may also encounter the English loanword Engineering used as a neuter noun.
How does it change in a sentence?
Ingenieurwesen is a neuter noun and does not have a plural form when used to describe the field of study. Ingenieurwissenschaft is a feminine noun.
Did you know?
- In Germany, the title Ingenieur is legally protected in many states, meaning you cannot call yourself one without a specific recognized degree.
- The German word Ingenieur is a loanword from the French 'ingénieur', which comes from the Latin 'ingenium' meaning 'native talent' or 'cleverness'.
- The word Wissenschaft in Ingenieurwissenschaft translates to 'science' but encompasses all systematic academic research, including the humanities.
Examples in context
- Das Gebäude bietet Raum für Gründerfirmen, die in den Bereichen Biotechnologie, Biomedizin, Medizintechnik, Ingenieurwesen, Informatik, Telematik und Softwareentwicklung tätig sind.The building provides space for start-ups active in the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine, medical technology, engineering sciences, informatics, telematics and software engineering.This sentence lists various professional fields including Ingenieurwesen.Tatoeba #4873461 by al_ex_an_der, translation #4873464 by al_ex_an_der
- Ingenieurwesen setzt Theorie in die Praxis um.Engineering puts theory into practice.This sentence describes how Ingenieurwesen applies theory to practice.Tatoeba #11854758 by carlosalberto, translation #11854743 by carlosalberto
- Ingenieurwissenschaft macht die Unmöglichkeit möglich.Engineering makes impossible possible.This sentence explains how Ingenieurwissenschaft makes the impossible possible.Tatoeba #14021368 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #14021369 by Ioan_Cristian
- Das Ingenieurwesen spielt eine wichtige Rolle in der technologischen Entwicklung.Engineering plays an important role in technological development.
- Er hat viel Erfahrung in der Technik.He has a lot of experience in engineering.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Hannah are talking about their university studies during a coffee break.
- JulianStudierst du eigentlich Ingenieurwesen?Are you actually studying engineering?
- HannahJa, ich liebe das Ingenieurwesen.Yes, I love engineering.
- JulianDas ist ein sehr anspruchsvolles Fach.That is a very demanding subject.
- HannahStimmt, aber es macht mir viel Spaß.True, but I enjoy it a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “engineering” translations and entries Ingenieurwissenschaft, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ingenieurwissenschaft, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
