schreiben
/ˈʃraɪ̯bən/
The German verb for 'to write' is schreiben. Wiktionary also lists schriibe.
Meaning: to form letters, etc. (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| schreiben | /ˈʃraɪ̯bən/ | |
| schriibe | Alemannic German |
The term refers to the act of forming letters or characters. While schreiben is the standard way to express this, you might use the separable verb aufschreiben specifically when the intent is to note something down or record it.
Which one should you use?
The word schreiben is the standard, most common form. If you wish to be more formal and sophisticated, you can use Verfassen. In an informal context, Schreib serves as the imperative form.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form schriibe is used in Alemannic German.
How does it change in a sentence?
The third person singular present form is schreibt. The simple past form is schrieb, and the past participle is geschrieben.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʃraɪ̯bən/
Did you know?
- The German word for a 'writer' is Schriftsteller, which literally translates to 'someone who places or arranges letters'.
- The German concept of Schriftkultur refers not just to writing, but to the entire cultural history of how a society records and preserves information.
- The word schreiben is actually a distant relative of the Latin word 'scribere', which is also the ancestor of the English word 'scribe'.
Examples in context
- Tom kann gut schreiben.Tom can write well.This sentence shows how to use schreiben to describe someone's ability.Tatoeba #2695839 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4198401 by CK
- Was soll ich schreiben?What do you want me to write?This sentence demonstrates using schreiben to ask for instructions on what to write.Tatoeba #8064719 by manese, translation #10691946 by CK
- Du musst was schreiben.You've got to write something.This sentence uses schreiben to express an obligation to write something.Tatoeba #10039764 by Yorwba, translation #10047106 by sundown
- Ich muss eine wichtige E-Mail schreiben.I need to write an important email.
- Er verfasste einen brillanten Aufsatz.He wrote a brilliant essay.
- Schreib mir eine Nachricht, wenn du ankommst.Write me a message when you arrive.
- Kannst du mir die Adresse aufschreiben?Can you write down the address for me?
- 772 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Maximilian are in a classroom.
- SarahKannst du das bitte aufschreiben?Can you please write that down?
- MaximilianJa, ich werde es jetzt schreiben.Yes, I will write it now.
- SarahDanke, Maximilian!Thanks, Maximilian!
- MaximilianKein Problem, Sarah.No problem, Sarah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “write” translations and entries schreiben, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries schreiben, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
