German Phones & Devices Vocabulary
This set covers everyday tech: das Handy and das Mobiltelefon for mobile phone, der Akku and die Batterie for battery, plus der Bildschirm for screen and das Ladegerät for charger. The tricky bit for English speakers is that Germans use two different words depending on the battery type: der Akku for a rechargeable one (phone, laptop) and die Batterie for a disposable one (remote control, smoke detector) - English just says "battery" for both.
Learn these 13 words
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All 13 words
plural: die Akkus
battery (rechargeable)
Der Akku ist schon wieder leer. — The battery is already dead again.
plural: die Kopfhörer
headphones
Ich höre Musik mit Kopfhörern. — I listen to music with headphones.
plural: die Ladegeräte
charger
Ich habe mein Ladegerät vergessen. — I forgot my charger.
plural: die Mobiltelefone
mobile phone
Wie kann ich Sie erreichen? Haben Sie ein Mobiltelefon? — How can I reach you? Do you have a mobile phone?
plural: die Tablets
tablet
Hast du ein Tablet? - Nein, ich habe einen Laptop und ein Handy. — Do you have a tablet? - No, I have a laptop and a mobile phone.
plural: die Batterien
battery
Bringst du bitte Batterien für die Kamera mit? — Will you please bring batteries for the camera?
plural: die Bildschirme
screen, monitor
Ich brauche einen größeren Bildschirm für meinen Computer. — I need a larger screen for my computer.
- digitalB1
digital
Ich habe eine Digitaluhr gekauft. Die geht genauer als meine alte Uhr. — I bought a digital watch. It is more accurate than my old watch.
plural: die Handys
mobile phone
Ich habe kein Festnetztelefon, aber ein Handy. — I don't have a landline, but I do have a mobile phone.
- stummB1
silent, mute
Stell bitte dein Handy leise oder auf stumm. — Please put your phone on silent or mute.
- tippenB1
type
Wie schnell kannst du tippen? — How fast can you type?
plural: die Festnetztelefone
a landline phone
Das Festnetztelefon funktioniert nicht mehr. — The landline phone no longer works.
plural: die Handys
mobile telephone
Mein Handy ist modern und sehr schnell. — My mobile telephone is modern and very fast.
How to learn this set
Notice that most of the device nouns here are neuter: das Handy, das Tablet, das Ladegerät, das Mobiltelefon. That's a solid pattern to lean on when you're unsure of a gender - guess "das" for gadgets and you'll be right more often than not, with der Akku, der Kopfhörer and der Bildschirm as the masculine exceptions to memorize separately. For der Akku vs. die Batterie, drill them in pairs with a real object each time: "der Akku vom Handy" next to "die Batterie in der Fernbedienung," so the distinction sticks to a picture, not just a rule.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Akku and Batterie in German?
Der Akku is a rechargeable battery, like the one in your phone or laptop. Die Batterie is a disposable, single-use battery, like the one in a remote control. English uses "battery" for both, so this distinction has no direct equivalent.
Is Handy the German word for cell phone?
Yes, das Handy is the everyday German word for mobile phone, and it's neuter. Note that it's a false friend for English speakers: "handy" in English means convenient, but in German it strictly means the phone itself.
What's the gender of Ladegerät and Bildschirm in German?
Das Ladegerät (charger) is neuter, while der Bildschirm (screen) is masculine. Most device words in this set are neuter, so der Bildschirm and der Akku are worth remembering as exceptions.
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