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 [FOHL-guh].
- The “o” is short and round, like in “fog,”
- The “g” is a soft “g,” 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:
- Episode / installment
- Serienfolge – TV episode
- Podcast-Folge – podcast episode
- Staffel 2, Folge 4 – Season 2, Episode 4
- Consequence / result
- Folgen tragen – to bear consequences
- eine logische Folge – a logical consequence
- Folgen für die Umwelt – consequences for the environment
- Sequence / succession (rarer)
- eine Folge von Ereignissen – a sequence of events
Its antonym depends on usage:
- For consequence: Ursache (cause)
- For episode: no real opposite, but Pause or Staffelbeginn (season premiere) might be used in contrast
Grammatical case examples:
- Nominative:
Die Folge war spannender als die letzte.
The episode was more exciting than the last. - Accusative:
Ich habe die Folge verpasst.
I missed the episode. - Dative:
Mit der Folge hatte niemand gerechnet.
No one expected the consequence. - Genitive:
Wegen der Folge des Sturms fiel die Schule aus.
Because of the aftermath of the storm, school was canceled.
Feminine case pattern: die, die, der, der
Word variations and language tidbits
Variation Station:
- folgen – to follow
- Folgen haben – to have consequences
- Fortsetzung folgt – to be continued
- Nachfolgen – successors (or later episodes)
- unmittelbare Folge – direct consequence
Fun usage note:
At the end of many German TV shows, you’ll see “Fortsetzung folgt...” — “To be continued…” That’s the promise of more Folgen to come.
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Folge
🎥 Learn Folge and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/
Alternate translations note:
For legal or formal consequences, you might also hear Konsequenz, especially in abstract or moral contexts. But Folge is the go-to word for both episodes and results—so if something comes next, it’s likely a Folge.
Ready for two more German words of the day? Do you know how to say photo or license in German?