독일어
Dogireo[to̞ɡiɾʌ̹]
In Korean, the phrase for the German language is 독일어 (Dogireo). Wiktionary also lists 독어 (Dogeo).
Meaning: the German language (name)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 독일어 | Dogireo | [to̞ɡiɾʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 독어 | Dogeo | [to̞ɡʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers specifically to the German language. If you wish to describe something as being from or belonging to the country of Germany, you would use the adjective 독일의 or 도이췰란드의. To refer to a person of German nationality or a native of Germany, you can use 독일 사람, 독일인 or 도이췰란드 사람.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 독일어 is composed of 독일, which means Germany and the suffix 어, meaning language.
Which one should you use?
While 독일어 is the standard way to name the language, 독어 is a shortened, more colloquial version. Additionally, do not confuse the language name with the adjective 독일의, which is used to describe things originating from Germany, such as 독일의 자동차 (German cars).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
Dogireo
Did you know?
- The word 독일 for Germany is a phonetic approximation of the word 'Deutschland' based on Chinese characters. It was chosen because the sounds of the characters 독 and 일 closely mirrored the German pronunciation of the time.
- To say 'I can speak 독일어', Koreans use the verb 하다, which means 'to do'. Literally, they say they 'do' the German language.
- Because 독일어 is a Sino-Korean word, it can be used in formal academic titles or written contexts, whereas the purely Korean phonetic spelling of 'Deutschland' is rarely used to name the language.
Examples in context
- 독일어 문법에 어려움을 겪는 중이야.I'm having a hard time with German grammar.This sentence is useful for discussing difficulties with the grammar of 독일어.Tatoeba #8421424 by Eunhee, translation #1894029 by CK
- 이 편지 독일어로 번역해줄 수 있는 사람 있어?Can someone translate this letter into German?This sentence shows how to ask for a translation into 독일어.Tatoeba #8866721 by Eunhee, translation #8866714 by sundown
- '전화기'는 독일어로 뭔가요?What is the German for 'telephone'?This sentence is used when asking for the translation of a specific word into 독일어.Tatoeba #4568854 by imjcooper, translation #4568125 by maydoo
- 그분은 독일 사람이에요.He/She is German.
- 내 친구는 독일사람이야.My friend is German.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dohyun and Subin are discussing their language classes.
- 도현 Do-hyeon수빈 씨는 요즘 무슨 공부 해요?Subin ssineun yojeum museun gongbu haeyo?Subin, what are you studying these days?
- 수빈 Su-bin저는 요즘 독일어 배우고 있어요.Jeoneun yojeum dogireo baeugo isseoyo.I am learning German these days.
- 도현 Do-hyeon독일어 정말 어렵지 않아요?Dogireo jeongmal eoryeopji anayo?Isn't German really difficult?
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 하지만 정말 재미있어요.Ne, hajiman jeongmal jaemiisseoyo.Yes, but it's really interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “german” translations and entries 독일어, 독어, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 독어, 독일어, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
