21 December 2025
How do you talk about Comparisons in German?
It’s what you draw between two things to see what’s better - or what you reach when both sides want to avoid a fight. In German, that’s der Vergleich. This is your German word of the day, and it’s a handy word in both everyday talk and legal contexts.
The noun Vergleich means comparison or settlement, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Whether you’re comparing phones, making peace in court, or shopping online, this word is everywhere.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Vergleich (still wrestling with gender? Our quick video lesson clears it up once and for all).
Pronunciation
Vergleich is pronounced [fer-GLYCH].
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Ver is unstressed, roughly “fer”; the r is often vocalized,
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gleich has the ei vowel roughly as in “like,” followed by the soft ch of ich rather than k,
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Stress is on the second syllable: ver-GLEICH
It sounds sharp and efficient - just like the comparisons it refers to.
Example sentences:
Im Vergleich zu gestern ist es heute viel wärmer.Compared to yesterday, it’s much warmer today.
Die beiden Parteien einigten sich auf einen Vergleich.The two parties reached a settlement.
Nuance and usage tips
Vergleich has two main meanings:
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Comparison - noticing similarities or differences
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Preisvergleich - price comparison
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ein fairer Vergleich - a fair comparison
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zum Vergleich - for comparison
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Legal settlement - an agreement resolving a dispute, before or during a lawsuit
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außergerichtlicher Vergleich - out-of-court settlement
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sich auf einen Vergleich einigen - to settle
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It’s also used in phrases like:
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Im direkten Vergleich… - In direct comparison…
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einen Vergleich ziehen - to draw a comparison
Das ist kein Vergleich! - There’s no comparison! (one is much better)
How does this word come up in real conversations?
Whether you’re shopping, arguing, or trying to prove a point, Vergleich is incredibly common:
“Im Vergleich zu anderen Hotels ist das hier günstig.” - Compared to other hotels, this one is cheap.“Der Vergleich spart Zeit und Geld.” - The comparison saves time and money.
In legal contexts, it’s just as common, especially in German civil law, where ein Vergleich is often a preferred resolution.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Nico: Welches Handy findest du besser?Lara: Ich hab einen Vergleich im Internet gelesen.Nico: Und?Lara: Das günstigere Modell schneidet besser ab!
Nico: Which phone do you think is better?Lara: I read a comparison online.Nico: And?Lara: The cheaper one performs better!
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:Der Vergleich ist sehr hilfreich.The comparison is very helpful.
Accusative:Ich habe den Vergleich gelesen.I read the comparison.
Dative:Im Vergleich mit dem alten Gerät ist das neue schneller.Compared to the old device, the new one is faster.
Genitive:Die Ergebnisse des Vergleichs waren eindeutig.The results of the comparison were clear.
Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Helpful compounds and expressions:
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Preisvergleich - price comparison
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Produktvergleich - product comparison
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Vergleichsangebot - competing offer
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Vergleichsportal - comparison website
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Vergleichsrechnung - comparative calculation
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Vergleich schließen - to settle (legally)
In law, a Vergleich resolves a dispute; in other contexts, it can simply compare things without implying compromise.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Vergleich🎥 Learn Vergleich and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course: Watch the 1000 German Nouns video course
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Verhalten means? It might say more about you than you think.And what about Verhandlung? That one could decide how things end before they begin.
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