Anwesenheit
/ˈanˌveːzn̩haɪ̯t/feminine
The English word "presence" is translated into German as Anwesenheit.
Anwesenheit refers to the fact or condition of being physically present in a place. It is frequently used as a building block for compound words, such as Anwesenheitsliste (attendance list) or Anwesenheitsverzeichnis (attendance register).
Meaning: fact or condition of being present (noun)
Which one should you use?
While Anwesenheit refers to the physical fact of being in a place, the related form Präsenz is often used to describe a person's aura, charisma or a formal/official presence.
How does it change in a sentence?
Anwesenheit is a feminine noun and takes the article die in the nominative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈanˌveːzn̩haɪ̯t/
Did you know?
- When marking attendance in a classroom, a teacher might call out names to establish Anwesenheit. However, a student responding 'present' does not use Anwesenheit, but says hier, meaning 'here'.
- In German, the root of Anwesenheit literally translates to 'being at' a place, framing presence as a spatial relationship rather than a state of being.
- The word Anwesenheit is derived from anwesend, but the final 'd' is dropped when adding the suffix -heit. This is a regular linguistic pattern seen in other words like Unwissenheit.
Examples in context
- Seine bloße Anwesenheit ist mir ein großer Trost.His mere presence is a great comfort to me.This sentence uses Anwesenheit to express how someone's presence provides comfort.Tatoeba #12231598 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11895221 by sundown
- Die Anwesenheit des Präsidenten ist eine hohe Ehre für mich.I am highly honored by the presence of the president.This sentence uses Anwesenheit to describe being honored by the presence of an official.Tatoeba #3794502 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #265368 by CM
- Alle deuteten die Anwesenheit der Eule als ein unheilvolles Zeichen.They all interpreted the presence of that owl as an ominous premonition.This sentence uses Anwesenheit to describe the interpretation of an owl's presence.Tatoeba #13130000 by Yorwba, translation #7995733 by BRCoolata
- Die Anwesenheit aller Mitarbeiter ist bei der Team-Besprechung erforderlich.The presence of all employees is required at the team meeting.
- Der Manager betonte die Wichtigkeit einer starken Präsenz auf dem Markt.The manager emphasized the importance of a strong presence in the market.
- Lass uns am Wochenende beim Grillfest dabeisein.Let's be present at the barbecue party this weekend.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are discussing a meeting at work.
- JuliaWar deine Anwesenheit bei der Sitzung wichtig?Was your presence at the meeting important?
- FelixJa, ich musste dort anwesend sein.Yes, I had to be present there.
- JuliaDeine Anwesenheit hat dem Team sehr geholfen.Your presence helped the team a lot.
- FelixDanke, das freut mich sehr zu hören.Thanks, I am very happy to hear that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “presence” translations and entries Anwesenheit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Anwesenheit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
