The German word for broadcaster, transmitter, or sender is der Sender.
Sender in German is used across contexts: it can mean a television or radio station, a signal transmitter, or even the person sending a package. It’s a practical word that’s useful in both tech and media—and surprisingly common in everyday life.

It’s also one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German (get the full illustrated PDF for free).

Gender and Pronunciation

It’s a masculine noun: der Sender.
Need help with German noun genders? This video lesson makes it easy with memorable tips.

Pronunciation:
Sender is pronounced [ZEN-duhr]

• “ZEN” like “ten” with a soft z

• “duhr” like “blur” without the b
  Two syllables: ZEN-duhr

Example sentences

Der Sender zeigt heute Abend einen neuen Film.

The broadcaster is showing a new movie tonight.

Der Sender des Pakets ist unbekannt.

The sender of the package is unknown.

Der Sender hat das Signal verloren.

The transmitter lost the signal.

How does this word come up in real conversations?

"Welchen Sender schaust du am liebsten?"

Which channel do you like best?

"Ich habe den Namen des Senders vergessen."

I forgot the name of the sender.

"Der neue Radiosender spielt nur 90er-Hits."

The new radio station only plays 90s hits.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Mira: Welcher Sender überträgt das Spiel?
Tom: Ich glaube ZDF.
Mira: Super – dann schalt mal ein!
Tom: Mach ich sofort.

Translation:
Mira: Which channel is broadcasting the game?
Tom: I think ZDF.
Mira: Great—then turn it on!
Tom: Will do.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Der Sender ist nicht verfügbar.

The broadcaster is unavailable.

Accusative:
Ich kenne den Sender nicht.

I don’t know the sender.

Dative:
Mit dem Sender gibt es ein Problem.

There’s a problem with the transmitter.

Genitive:
Der Name des Senders steht auf dem Umschlag.

The sender’s name is on the envelope.

Other ways to say broadcaster or sender in German

While Sender is the go-to word for broadcaster or sender in German, you’ll find a few alternatives in specific contexts. For people or companies sending items, Absender is the more formal postal term. Übermittler might be used in technical fields. In digital communication, Absenderadresse means "sender’s address." Still, Sender remains the best all-rounder—used from mailrooms to media studios.

Word variations and tidbits

You’ll encounter Sender in compound words like Fernsehsender (TV station), Radiosender (radio station), Nachrichtensender (news channel), Sendemast (transmission tower), and Sendersuchlauf (channel scan on TVs). In postal use, Absender appears on envelopes, and Rücksender is the return sender. You’ll also see Senderliste in digital TV menus, and Senderwahl (channel selection) is something every remote control user knows.

📘 Duden entry for Sender
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