Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Nachrichten | /ˈnaːxʁɪçtən/ | feminine, plural |
| Nachricht | /ˈnaːxrɪçt/ | feminine |
Nachrichten is used when referring to news broadcasts or collections of reports, such as those heard on the TV or radio. If you are referring to a single piece of news or a specific message, you use the singular form Nachricht.
What does it mean word for word?
The singular form Nachricht is composed of nach (after/following) and richten (to direct/aim), which originally implies something sent or directed to someone.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, where 'news' is an uncountable noun, German distinguishes between the singular and plural. Use the plural Nachrichten for the news media or news broadcasts, and use the singular Nachricht for a single item of news.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form die Nachricht is a feminine noun that refers to a single message or piece of news. The plural form die Nachrichten is also feminine and is the standard way to refer to 'the news' as a broadcast.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnaːxʁɪçtən/
Did you know?
- The root richten in Nachricht also appears in Gerechtigkeit (justice), as both involve the idea of 'setting things right' or directing a result.
- The German word Nachricht can describe a 'message' in a spiritual or supernatural sense, such as a revelation from a deity.
- German distinguishes between Nachrichten (general news) and Meldungen (official reports or bulletins), with the latter often used for emergency alerts.
Examples in context
- Er sah die Nachrichten.He saw the news.Tatoeba #3321573 by Zaghawa, translation #2856761 by Amastan
- Hast du gute Nachrichten?Do you have any good news?Tatoeba #947518 by Sudajaengi, translation #25210 by CK
- Ich habe gute Nachrichten.I've got some good news.Tatoeba #1848977 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1848764 by Spamster
- Ich lese täglich die Nachrichten, um auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben.I read the news daily to stay up to date.
- Die Meldungen über den Vorfall erreichten uns gestern Abend.The news reports about the incident reached us last night.
- Hast du Neuigkeiten über den Fortschritt des Projekts?Do you have any news about the progress of the project?
- Hast du die News von gestern Abend gehört? Unglaublich!Have you heard the news from last night? Unbelievable!
- 484 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are talking in the living room.
- LukasHast du heute schon die Nachrichten gehört?Have you heard the news today?
- SarahNein, was gibt es denn in den Nachrichten?No, what is in the news?
- LukasEs gibt spannende Nachrichten aus Japan.There is exciting news from Japan.
- SarahEcht? Das muss ich sofort lesen!Really? I have to read that immediately!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “news” translations and entries Nachrichten, Nachricht, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
