Gebet
/ɡəˈbeːt/neuter
The German word for prayer is Gebet.
Gebet is a noun used to refer to the practice of communicating with God, specifically the specific act or the text of a prayer.
Meaning: practice of communicating with one's God (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Gebet refers to a specific prayer or the text of a prayer, the verb beten is used to describe the general action of praying.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of Gebet is Gebete. When using the genitive case to indicate possession or 'of prayer', the word becomes Gebets. The corresponding verb for this noun is beten.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈbeːt/
Did you know?
- The word Gebet shares an unexpected ancestor with the English word 'gift'. They both stem from a root meaning 'to give', implying that a prayer is essentially a gift or an offering to the divine.
- While you 'beten' (pray) to a deity, the German word for a prayer beads, such as a Rosary, is Rosenkranz, which literally translates to 'rose wreath'.
- In German, the verb beten is used for prayer, but betten means to put someone to bed. Only one 't' changes the meaning from a spiritual act to a domestic one.
Examples in context
- Es ist Zeit fürs Gebet.It's prayer time.This sentence illustrates how to say it is prayer time using Gebet.Tatoeba #13712529 by Waldelfe, translation #9953513 by Amastan
- Gott, erhöre mein Gebet.God, hear my prayer.This sentence shows how to ask God to hear a prayer using Gebet.Tatoeba #1196595 by Esperantostern, translation #1196590 by nadsat
- Toms Gebet wurde erhört.Tom's prayer was answered.This sentence demonstrates the phrase for a prayer being answered using Gebet.Tatoeba #7277811 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #7030642 by Hybrid
- Sie sprach ein leises Gebet für ihre Familie.She said a quiet prayer for her family.
- Die Gemeinde versammelte sich zur Andacht.The congregation gathered for prayer.
- Das Beten ist für viele Menschen eine tägliche Routine.Praying is a daily routine for many people.
- Er betet jeden Morgen, um Stärke und Frieden zu finden.He prays every morning to find strength and peace.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet evening at home.
- JulianMöchtest du jetzt das Gebet leiten?Would you like to lead the prayer now?
- JuliaJa, ich kann das machen, Julian.Yes, I can do that, Julian.
- JulianVielen Dank für deine Hilfe.Thank you very much for your help.
- JuliaGerne, es ist mir eine Freude.You're welcome, it is my pleasure.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prayer” translations and entries Gebet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Gebet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
