How do you say Advertisement or Commercial in German?

Whether it’s a flashy commercial, a subtle product placement, or a loud jingle you can’t forget - Germans call it Werbung. It’s the word for anything that tries to sell you something or sway your opinion.

The noun Werbung means advertising, promotion, or publicity, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll encounter it online, on TV, in the street - and probably in your inbox.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Werbung.

Pronunciation

Werbung is pronounced approximately [VEHR-bung], with short e and short u.

• W is pronounced like a V,
• er has a short open e followed by r, often vocalized; regional r pronunciations vary,
• bung has a short u as in “put” and ng as in “sing,”
• Stress is on the first syllable: VEHR-bung

It’s bold and punchy - just like a good marketing slogan.

Example sentences:

• Die Werbung vor dem Video hat mich genervt.The ad before the video annoyed me.
• Coca-Cola macht sehr bekannte Werbung.Coca-Cola does very well-known advertising.

Nuance and usage tips

Werbung comes from the verb werben, which originally meant “to woo” or “to court.” That romantic origin still echoes: ads are trying to win you over.

1. Commercial advertising
   • Fernsehwerbung - TV commercials
   • Onlinewerbung - online advertising
   • Printwerbung - print ads
   • Werbebanner / Werbeplakat - ad banner / advertising poster
2. Promotional efforts
   • Politische Werbung - political advertising (before elections: Wahlwerbung)
   • Werbestrategie - advertising strategy
   • Werbekampagne - ad campaign
3. Idiomatic / broader use
   • Schleichwerbung - covert or undisclosed advertising; product placement is Produktplatzierung and is not automatically Schleichwerbung
   • Mundpropaganda ist die beste Werbung.Word of mouth is the best advertising.

Good to know: