teilen
/ˈtaɪ̯lən/
To share in German is teilen.
teilen means to divide and distribute. It can be used when you share something with another person, but it also carries the specific meaning of dividing or splitting something into parts. In modern contexts like social media, teilen is the term used for the action of sharing a post or digital content. Related terms include Freigabe, which refers to a computing configuration that enables the sharing of resources and Aktie, which is a financial instrument known as a share or stock.
Meaning: to divide and distribute (verb)
Which one should you use?
While teilen is the general term for sharing or dividing, the separable verb aufteilen is used when the focus is specifically on the act of partitioning a whole into smaller, distinct portions.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The simple past form of teilen is teilte, and the past participle is geteilt.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtaɪ̯lən/
Did you know?
- The German word teilen is a direct relative of the English word 'deal', as both descend from the same Germanic root meaning 'to divide' or 'to part'.
- The term Freigabe used for digital sharing comes from frei, meaning 'free', and gabe, meaning 'gift'. It literally describes the act of giving something free access.
- While teilen means to share, the word for a financial share is Aktie. This is because Aktie comes from the Latin word for a written record or document.
Examples in context
- Teilen wir das Geld!Let's share the money.This sentence shows how to suggest sharing money using teilen.Tatoeba #1900139 by Tamy, translation #1898801 by Spamster
- Ich will nicht teilen.I don't want to share.This sentence expresses a refusal to share using teilen.Tatoeba #2509734 by Zaghawa, translation #2276260 by CK
- Wir teilen einen Traum.We share a dream.This sentence illustrates the use of teilen when talking about sharing an abstract concept like a dream.Tatoeba #1442445 by al_ex_an_der, translation #1767816 by marcelostockle
- Können Sie bitte Ihre Ideen teilen?Could you please share your ideas?
- Lass uns die Kosten teilen.Let's share the expenses.
- Kannst du mir bitte einen Teil deines Essens abgeben?Can you please share some of your food with me?
- Komm schon, rück den Schokoriegel raus!Come on, share the chocolate bar!
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are sitting in a cafe with a pastry.
- FelixSoll ich diesen Apfelkuchen mit dir teilen, Hannah?Should I share this apple cake with you, Hannah?
- HannahJa, bitte, das wäre sehr lieb von dir, Felix.Yes, please, that would be very kind of you, Felix.
- FelixDann teilen wir ihn einfach in zwei Hälften.Then let's just share it into two halves.
- HannahDas klingt nach einem guten Plan.That sounds like a good plan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “share” translations and entries teilen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries teilen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
