How do you say Expression in German?

Whether it’s the look on someone’s face, a powerful phrase, or a sheet you just printed - Germans call it an Ausdruck. It’s a word for things that are expressed, visibly or verbally.

The noun Ausdruck means expression or printout, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll see it in language lessons, emotional contexts, paperwork, and art.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Ausdruck.

Pronunciation

Ausdruck is pronounced approximately [OWS-druk], with short u.

• The “Aus” rhymes with “house,”
• The “druck” sounds like “brook” with a strong k,
• Stress is on the first syllable: AUS-druck.

It’s a solid, purposeful word - perfect for something you’re putting out there.

Example sentences:

• Dieser Gesichtsausdruck sagt mehr als tausend Worte.That facial expression says more than a thousand words.
• Kannst du mir bitte einen Ausdruck davon machen?Can you print me a copy of that?

Nuance and usage tips

Ausdruck has two major meanings:

1. Expression (emotional, verbal, or artistic)
   • sprachlicher Ausdruck - linguistic expression
   • Gefühlsausdruck - expression of emotion
   • Ausdrucksmittel - means of expression
2. Printed copy / printout
   • einen Ausdruck machen - to print something
   • Papierausdruck - paper printout
   • als PDF speichern - to save as a PDF; a paper printout is ein Ausdruck

It can also be metaphorical:

Ein Ausdruck von Liebe / Mut / Respekt - and to express something is etwas zum Ausdruck bringen“An expression of love / courage / respect”

Related words:

• Unterdrückung - suppression (can contrast with expressing a feeling)
• Löschen - deletion (not an antonym of a printout)

Grammatical case examples: