German Science & Research Vocabulary
This set covers the language of research from the lab bench to the cosmos: das Mikroskop and der Katalysator for hands-on science, die Kettenreaktion and der Urknall for the bigger physical processes behind it. One trap here is der Algorithmus, a word English speakers often want to make neuter or feminine, but it's masculine like most German nouns borrowed from Greek ending in -us.
Learn these 16 words
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All 16 words
plural: die Mikroskope
microscope
Sie betrachtet die Zellen unter dem Mikroskop. — She observes the cells under the microscope.
plural: die Wissenschaften
science
Vertreter von Kunst und Wissenschaft treffen sich heute in Berlin. — Representatives of art and science are meeting in Berlin today.
plural: die Algorithmen
algorithm
Der Algorithmus löst das Problem effizient. — The algorithm solves the problem efficiently.
plural: die Analysen
analysis
Die Analyse der Daten zeigt interessante Muster. — The analysis of the data shows interesting patterns.
archaeology
Archäologie ist die Wissenschaft der alten Kulturen. — Archaeology is the science of ancient cultures.
plural: die Auswertungen
evaluation
Die Auswertung der Umfrage zeigt klare Trends. — The evaluation of the survey shows clear trends.
chlorine
Chlor wird zur Wasseraufbereitung verwendet. — Chlorine is used for water treatment.
plural: die Entdeckungen
discovery / detection
Die Entdeckung neuer Energie ist sehr bedeutsam. — The discovery of new energy is very significant.
induction / reasoning from cases
Induktion ist eine wichtige Methode in der Logik. — Induction is an important method in logic.
plural: die Kettenreaktionen
chain reaction
Eine Kettenreaktion führte zu einer Explosion. — A chain reaction led to an explosion.
plural: die Kompressionen
compression
Die Kompression des Gases erhöht den Druck im Behälter. — The compression of the gas increases the pressure in the container.
space travel
Die Raumfahrt ermöglicht Reisen ins All hinaus. — Space travel enables journeys into outer space.
plural: die Reproduktionen
reproduction / perpetuation
Die Reproduktion der Studie bestätigte die Ergebnisse. — The reproduction of the study confirmed the results.
Big Bang
Der Urknall war der Beginn des Universums. — The Big Bang was the beginning of the universe.
plural: die Katalysatoren
catalyst
Ein Katalysator beschleunigt die chemische Reaktion. — A catalyst accelerates the chemical reaction.
x-rays
Röntgenstrahlung wird in der medizinischen Diagnostik verwendet. — X-rays are used in medical diagnostics.
How to learn this set
Nearly all the abstract process-nouns in this set are feminine and end in -ion or -ung: die Analyse, die Kompression, die Reproduktion, die Auswertung, die Entdeckung. Drill that pattern as a block, since once you know the ending you know the gender automatically, no memorization needed per word. Der Urknall and das Chlor sit outside that pattern and are worth flashcarding separately since they don't give you any gender clues from their form.
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Frequently asked questions
Is der Algorithmus masculine in German?
Yes, der Algorithmus is masculine. It follows the same pattern as other Greek-derived -us nouns like der Organismus, which also take der.
What is the difference between Entdeckung and Erfindung?
Eine Entdeckung is a discovery of something that already existed but was unknown, like der Urknall or a new species. Eine Erfindung is an invention, something created that didn't exist before, like the telephone.
Why is Röntgenstrahlung called that?
It's named after Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, the German physicist who discovered x-rays in 1895. In German, the discoverer's name stuck as the everyday word, while English uses the descriptive term 'x-rays'.
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