How do you say Movement in German?

Whether it’s a workout, a political shift, or a trembling hand - Germans call it Bewegung. It’s a word that’s always in motion, describing everything from muscle to mass movements.

The noun Bewegung means movement, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll see it in sports, politics, science, medicine, and emotional expression.

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

Pronunciation

Bewegung is pronounced approximately [buh-VEH-gung], with steady long e and short u.

• The “Be” is soft and unstressed,
• weg has a steady long e followed by g, without the glide in American “vague,”
• The ending -ung has a short u as in “put” and ng as in “sing.”

It flows easily off the tongue - fitting for a word about motion and flow.

Example sentences:

• Regelmäßige Bewegung ist wichtig für die Gesundheit.Regular exercise is important for health.
• Die politische Bewegung gewann schnell an Einfluss.The political movement quickly gained influence.
• Hände hoch! Keine Bewegung! Hands in the air! Don’t move!

Nuance and usage tips

Bewegung is used in several key senses:

1. Physical motion / exercise
   • Körperliche Bewegung - physical activity
   • in Bewegung bleiben - to stay active
   • Bewegungsmangel - lack of movement (sedentary lifestyle)
2. Political / social movement
   • Friedensbewegung - peace movement
   • Umweltbewegung - environmental movement
   • Frauenbewegung - women’s movement
3. Motion in science or mechanics
   • Bewegungsenergie - kinetic energy
   • Bewegungsrichtung - direction of motion
4. Emotional stirring
   • Bewegung can also mean emotional stirring, but “moved to tears” is zu Tränen gerührt. Ich war sehr bewegt means “I was very moved.”

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