Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rezension | /ʁet͡sɛnˈzi̯oːn/ | feminine |
| Kritik | /kʁiˈtiːk/ /kʁiˈtɪk/ |
feminine |
In German, the term for a review is used to describe a critical evaluation of a text or a piece of work. You can use the verb rezensieren to mean 'to write a review', though in casual conversation, it is more common to use the phrase eine Rezension schreiben. Related verbs include durchsehen, inspizieren and prüfen, which all mean 'to look broadly over'.
Which one should you use?
Rezension is typically used for a formal or consumer-oriented review of a specific work, such as a book, film or product. In contrast, Kritik refers more to the act of critical evaluation or the scholarly and artistic critique itself.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of Rezension is Rezensionen, and the plural of Kritik is Kritiken. Both words are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁetsɛnˈzi̯oːn/
Did you know?
- A 'pan' or a very negative review in German is often called a Verriss, a word that suggests the work has been completely torn to shreds.
- The word Kritik can be used to describe a specific school of philosophy, such as Immanuel Kant's famous 'Critiques' where he explored the limits of human reason.
- The word Kritik entered the German language via French critique before returning to its Ancient Greek roots in kritikós.
Examples in context
- Der Kritiker verriss das Buch.The critic wrote a searing review of the book.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a harsh critique using Kritik.Tatoeba #10155118 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8982111 by shekitten
- Ich würde gerne eine Rezension abgeben.I'd like to leave a review.This sentence shows how to express the desire to leave a Rezension.Tatoeba #13029323 by Yorwba, translation #11122517 by ddnktr
- Die Bewertung des Restaurants war sehr positivThe review of the restaurant was very positive
- Ich habe eine Rezension über den Film geschriebenI wrote a review about the movie
- Die Kritik des neuen Albums war sehr gemischtThe review of the new album was very mixed
- Das Konzert wurde sehr positiv in den Reviews bewertetThe concert was highly praised in the reviews
- Ich habe eine positive Bewertung erhalten.I received a positive review.
- Die Rezension des Films war sehr informativ.The movie review was very informative.
- Er schrieb eine Kritik über das neue Restaurant.He wrote a review about the new restaurant.
- Die Show wurde in den Reviews hochgelobt.The show was highly praised in the reviews.
- Die Rezension war sehr positiv.The review was very positive.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Julian are talking about a book they both read.
- LauraWie fandest du das Buch, Julian?How did you like the book, Julian?
- JulianEs war okay, aber die Rezension war besser.It was okay, but the review was better.
- LauraWelche Rezension meinst du genau?Which review exactly do you mean?
- JulianDie im Magazin von letzter Woche.The one in last week's magazine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “review” translations and entries Rezension, Kritik, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Kritik, Rezension, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
