Bibliothek
/bibljoˈteːk/feminine
The English word library is translated into German as Bibliothek. Wiktionary also lists Bücherei.
Meaning: institution which holds books, etc. (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bibliothek | /bibljoˈteːk/ /bibjoˈteːk/ |
feminine |
| Bücherei | /ˌbyːçəˈʁaɪ̯/ | feminine |
Both Bibliothek and Bücherei are feminine nouns used to describe an institution that holds books. The term Stadtbibliothek is also used in certain regions to specifically refer to a city library.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Bücherei is derived from Buch (book) and the suffix -erei, which denotes a place where a specific activity or thing is kept, essentially meaning a bookery or place of books.
Which one should you use?
Bücherei is a colloquial term often used for smaller, more community-oriented libraries or lending libraries, whereas Bibliothek sounds more formal or academic.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Bibliothek is Bibliotheken, while the plural form of Bücherei is Büchereien.
How do you pronounce it?
/bibljoˈteːk/
Did you know?
- Many historical German Bibliotheken used 'chaining' systems where books were physically chained to the shelves to prevent theft.
- Unlike English, where 'library' can refer to a digital collection of code, German developers often use the English word 'library' instead of Bibliothek when coding.
- While Bibliothek sounds prestigious, if you use it to describe a small neighborhood reading room, you might sound unintentionally pretentious.
Examples in context
- Wo ist die Bücherei?Where is the library?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of the Bücherei.Tatoeba #12299901 by mhr, translation #270700 by CK
- Tom ging zur Bücherei.Tom went to the library.This sentence is useful for describing movement toward the Bücherei.Tatoeba #7795773 by bonny37, translation #2545711 by CK
- Ich war in der Bücherei.I was at the library.This sentence is useful for describing being at the Bücherei.Tatoeba #2588388 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2547925 by CK
- Entschuldigen Sie, wo ist die nächste Bibliothek?Excuse me, where is the nearest library?
- Entschuldigen Sie, gibt es eine Bücherei in der Nähe?Excuse me, is there a library nearby?
- Lass uns in die Bib gehen und für die Prüfung lernen.Let's go to the Bib and study for the exam.
- Komm, lass uns in die Bücherhalle gehen und uns neue Bücher ausleihen.Come on, let's go to the Bücherhalle and borrow some new books.
- Die Stadtbibliothek hat eine große Auswahl an Büchern für Kinder.The city library has a wide selection of books for children.
- 543 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Maximilian are planning their study session.
- LauraGehen wir in die Bibliothek?Are we going to the library?
- MaximilianJa, die Bibliothek ist sehr ruhig.Yes, the library is very quiet.
- LauraGut, ich bringe meine Bücher mit.Good, I will bring my books.
- MaximilianIch komme auch gleich nach.I will follow you shortly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “library” translations and entries Bibliothek, Bücherei, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
