How do you say Episode or Consequence in German?

Whether you’re binge-watching a series or dealing with the result of your actions, Germans turn to one word: Folge. It’s all about what comes next - whether in storytelling, real life, or cause and effect.

The noun Folge means both episode (as in a part of a series) and consequence (as in the result of an action). It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and you’ll hear it in entertainment, news, politics, and everyday life.

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

Pronunciation

Folge is pronounced [ˈfɔlɡə], with a short, rounded o and stress on the first syllable.

• The “o” is short and rounded [ɔ]; English "off" is only an approximation and varies by accent.
• The “g” is a hard g, as in “go,” and
• The final “e” is lightly pronounced, like “uh.”

It’s got a steady, unfolding sound - appropriate for a word about what follows.

Example sentences:

• Die nächste Folge der Serie kommt morgen raus.The next episode of the series comes out tomorrow.
• Die Entscheidung hatte ernste Folgen.The decision had serious consequences.

Nuance and usage tips

Folge comes from the verb folgen, meaning “to follow,” and is used in three major ways:

1. Episode / installment
   • Serienfolge - TV episode
   • Podcast-Folge - podcast episode
   • Staffel 2, Folge 4 - Season 2, Episode 4
2. Consequence / result
   • die Folgen tragen - to bear the consequences
   • eine logische Folge - a logical consequence
   • Folgen für die Umwelt - consequences for the environment
3. Sequence / succession (rarer)
   • eine Folge von Ereignissen - a sequence of events

A cause-and-result pair: