How do you say Robot in German?

Today’s word steps straight out of a science lab - or maybe a movie. The German noun Roboter means robot, and it’s used for everything from industrial machines to humanoid androids to those little vacuum cleaners that roam the living room. It’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, too!

Roboter is a masculine noun, so the correct article is der - der Roboter. Need help making sense of all these noun genders? Our 5-minute gender video shows you how to crack the der / die / das code once and for all.

Real conversations where Roboter might come up

You’ll hear Roboter in discussions about technology, automation, science fiction, or even children’s toys. Germans use it just like in English - both seriously and playfully.

- Hast du den neuen Staubsauger gesehen?- Ja, der kleine Roboter fährt ganz allein durch die Wohnung!(“Have you seen the new vacuum cleaner?” - “Yeah, the little robot drives around the apartment all by itself!”)

Beginner sample dialogue

Timo: Was ist das?Lara: Ein Roboter! Er kann tanzen.Timo: Cool! Ich will auch einen!

(Timo: What’s that?Lara: A robot! It can dance.Timo: Cool! I want one too!)

Grammar in action: How to use Roboter

Here’s how Roboter works in all four German cases:

• Nominative: Der Roboter funktioniert einwandfrei.(The robot works perfectly.)

• Accusative: Ich programmiere den Roboter.(I’m programming the robot.)

• Dative: Ich helfe dem Roboter bei der Navigation.(I’m helping the robot with navigation.)

• Genitive: Die Bewegungen des Roboters sind beeindruckend.(The robot’s movements are impressive.)

Still figuring out the German case system? Our no-nonsense grammar course walks you through it clearly and calmly - no charts required.