German vocabulary: Reading
116 German words for reading, most common first, each with audio and an example sentence.
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das Ende
A1
end, finish
die Seite
A2
side (a bounding straight edge of a two-dimensional shape)
die Geschichte
A2
history
spielen
A1
to play (engage in some activity for fun or entertainment)
das Thema
A1
topic, subject, issue
der Anfang
A1
start, beginning, origin (spatially or temporally)
schreiben
A1
to write, to write out (use letters to make words and texts)
das Schreiben
A1
writing, letter
lesen
A1
to read (to look at and understand symbols, words, or data)
das Buch
A1
book (collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge; long work fit for publication)
das Wort
A1
word as an isolated unit
verstehen
A1
to understand
kaufen
A1
to buy, to purchase
die Meinung
A2
opinion
zu Ende lesen
A1
to finish reading
der Titel
B1
title
der Band
A2
volume, a single book, chiefly when part of a larger set
die Reihe
A2
row
die Kritik
B1
criticism (negative judgement)
die Zeitung
A1
newspaper
der Text
A1
text (writing consisting of several sentences and forming a discrete unit)
der Satz
A1
sentence
der Schluss
A1
end, ending, conclusion, finish
lustig
A1
funny, humorous
die Literatur
B1
literature (written works collectively, often about a certain topic, in a certain language etc.)
der Autor
B1
author
der Verlag
B1
publishing house, publisher (a company that produces and sells books, booklets, magazines)
handeln
B1
to act; to take action
Wie hat dir das Buch gefallen?
A1
How did you like the book?
erzählen
A1
to tell, to narrate, to recount
die Ausgabe
B1
edition, issue (literary work)
empfehlen
A1
to recommend; to advocate
anfangen
A1
to begin; to commence
der Roman
B1
novel
Ich kann das Buch nicht aus der Hand legen.
A1
I can't put the book down.
der Leser
A2
reader
die Figur
B1
figure, physique, body shape
die Übersetzung
A2
translation
aufhören
A1
to stop; to quit; to cease
die Zeitschrift
A2
magazine (published in regular intervals)
das Kapitel
B1
chapter (section of a text)
bestellen
A1
to order (e.g. food at a restaurant, items for delivery)
die Handlung
B1
action, act
spannend
A2
exciting, thrilling
langweilig
A2
boring, dull, tedious
die Bibliothek
A2
library
der Absatz
A2
paragraph (passage in text)
die Spannung
B1
tension
der Schriftsteller
B1
author, writer
das Zitat
A2
quotation
beschreiben
A2
to describe
die Empfehlung
B1
recommendation
das Märchen
B1
fairy tale (folk tale)
der Held
B1
hero
gebunden
C2
hardcover, hardback (of a book)
die Autorin
A2
feminine equivalent of Autor m (“author”)
die Zusammenfassung
B2
summary, compilation, summing up, recapitulation
das Gedicht
B1
poem
der Comic
A2
comic, comic strip or comic book
das E-Book
A2
e-book
die Erzählung
B1
tale, story; narration
berühmt
A2
famous
der Übersetzer
B1
translator (one who translates completed texts; male or of unspecified sex)
Worum geht es?
A2
What is it about?
die Rezension
C1
critique, review (of a work of art)
die Zeile
B1
line, row
der Krimi
A2
crime story, crime thriller
das Genre
B2
genre
das Wörterbuch
B1
dictionary (reference work with a list of words from one or more languages, and their definitions or translations)
übersetzen
A2
to translate, to interpret
nachlesen
B1
to look up
das Vorwort
C1
foreword
blättern
A2
to leaf through
die Buchhandlung
B1
bookstore, bookshop
der Bestseller
A1
bestseller
die Lyrik
B2
poetry, verse; lyric poetry
der Erzähler
A2
narrator
fesseln
C1
to chain, to bind
zurückgeben
A2
to give back, return
das Taschenbuch
B2
paperback
die Biografie
A1
biography
vorlesen
B1
to read (aloud)
der Umschlag
A1
envelope
das Hörbuch
A2
audiobook
die Bücherei
A2
library
ausleihen
A1
to lend
die Heldin
B1
heroine
aufschreiben
B1
to write down
die Hauptfigur
A2
protagonist (main character in a literary work or drama)
aufschlagen
B2
to open (a book at a page)
stöbern
A1
to browse, to rummage
die Kurzgeschichte
A2
short story
lesenswert
B1
worth reading
vergriffen
B2
out of print, sold out
weiterlesen
A2
to keep reading
der Bibliothekar
B2
librarian (male or of unspecified gender)
der Buchladen
B2
bookstore, bookshop
das Sachbuch
A2
non-fiction book
herausgeben
B2
to publish, edit
nachschlagen
B1
to look up (in a dictionary)
der Einband
B2
cover (of a book)
die Fußnote
B1
footnote
das Lesezeichen
B2
bookmark
die Ausleihe
C2
borrowing, loan desk
das Bücherregal
A1
bookshelf
vormerken
B2
to reserve, put on hold
der Lesesaal
B2
reading room
der Klappentext
B1
blurb
schmökern
B2
to read at leisure, pore over a book
umblättern
B2
to turn the page
der Bibliotheksausweis
B1
library card
die Leseratte
B1
bookworm (avid reader)
die Vormerkung
B2
reservation, hold
die Leihfrist
B2
loan period
die Mahngebühr
B2
late fee
der Fantasyroman
B1
fantasy novel