statische Elektrizität
feminine
In German, static electricity is statische Elektrizität, a feminine noun phrase.
statische Elektrizität is the standard term in science and in everyday speech. For the charge that builds up in clothes, people also talk about elektrostatische Aufladung, as in Mein Pullover hat eine elektrostatische Aufladung, my sweater has a static charge.
Meaning: an electric charge (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is feminine, so the adjective statisch adds an e ending in the nominative. After von it becomes statischer Elektrizität, as in Gestern habe ich einen gewaltigen Schlag von statischer Elektrizität bekommen, yesterday I got a massive shock from static electricity.
Did you know?
- The word Elektrizität and the English word 'electron' both originate from the Ancient Greek word for 'amber'. This is because amber was one of the first materials observed to produce a static charge when rubbed.
- The term Schlag used for a static shock literally means a 'blow' or 'strike', suggesting the sensation is more like a physical hit than a prick.
- The German word for the process of building up a charge, Aufladung, uses the same root as 'loading' a truck or 'charging' a battery.
Examples in context
- Statische Elektrizität kann sehr nervig sein.Static electricity can be very annoying.
- Dort ist viel statische Elektrizität vorhanden.There is a lot of static electricity present there.
- Ich hasse diese statische Elektrizität im Winter.I hate this static electricity in winter.
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are touching a metal door handle.
- MaximilianAua! Ich habe einen Schlag bekommen.Ouch! I just got a shock.
- JuliaDas war bestimmt statische Elektrizität, Maximilian.That was definitely static electricity, Maximilian.
- MaximilianWarum passiert das immer hier?Why does that always happen here?
- JuliaDer Teppich hier erzeugt viel statische Elektrizität.The carpet here generates a lot of static electricity.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “static electricity” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Elektrizität, CC BY-SA 4.0.
