How to Say Operation in German - With Real Examples

Whether you’re talking about surgery, a military maneuver, or a system being up and running, the word operation comes in handy in more ways than one. Knowing how to say Operation in German gives you access to a wide range of topics - from medicine and war to tech and business. The German word is die Operation, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, especially thanks to its common use in medical and organizational contexts.

Operation is feminine - die Operation - and pronounced oh-peh-rah-tsee-OHN, with the final syllable clearly stressed. If you’re unsure when to use die instead of der or das, take five minutes to watch our super-helpful video lesson on gender in German - it’s made for learners who want clarity without grammar fatigue.

In German, Operation most often refers to a surgical procedure. You’ll hear it in hospitals all the time: Sie hatte eine Operation am Knie (She had knee surgery). But it’s also widely used in non-medical settings. The military talks about militärische Operationen, and for large police actions you may hear it too - though for everyday police, fire or rescue work Germans usually say der Einsatz.

In computing, Operation can also describe system processes or specific technical functions. The context tells you what kind of operation is being referred to, but the word itself remains the same.