Today’s word is Presse — the German term for press, as in newspapers, journalism, and mass media. It can also refer to press conferences, freedom of the press, and sometimes even physical printing presses, though that use is more technical.
Presse is a feminine noun, so the correct article is die — die Presse. Want to stop guessing gender and articles? Our 5-minute video lesson gives you everything you need to get it right.
Real conversations where Presse might come up
You’ll hear Presse in news reports, political discussions, and media analysis — but also in everyday expressions like “It’s all over the press.”
– Hast du das in der Presse gelesen?
– Ja, in der Süddeutschen Zeitung.
(“Did you read that in the press?” – “Yes, in the Süddeutsche Zeitung.”)
Or:
– Die Presse war bei der Veranstaltung anwesend.
(“The press was present at the event.”)
Beginner sample dialogue
Sofia: Warum sind so viele Kameras hier?
Leo: Die Presse kommt. Es gibt eine große Ankündigung.
Sofia: Spannend! Vielleicht kommt es ins Fernsehen.
(Sofia: Why are there so many cameras here?
Leo: The press is coming. There’s going to be a big announcement.
Sofia: Exciting! Maybe it’ll be on TV.)
Grammar in action: How to use Presse
Nominative: Die Presse berichtet über das Ereignis.
(The press is reporting on the event.)Accusative: Ich habe die Presse gelesen.
(I read the press.)Dative: Laut der Presse gibt es neue Regeln.
(According to the press, there are new rules.)Genitive: Die Freiheit der Presse ist wichtig.
(Freedom of the press is important.)
Need a clear and intuitive guide to these case forms? Our no-jargon grammar course makes sense of it all — especially for learners who want real examples, not rules.
Other ways to use Presse in German
die Pressefreiheit – freedom of the press
die Pressekonferenz – press conference
die Boulevardpresse – tabloid press
die Lokalpresse – local press
die Pressemitteilung – press release
die Presseagentur – press agency
Useful expressions:
etwas geht durch die Presse – something makes the news
die freie Presse – the free press
gute / schlechte Presse bekommen – to receive good / bad press
Word variations and tidbits
While Presse most often means the journalistic press, the word can also show up in more literal, physical contexts:
die Weinpresse – wine press
die Druckpresse – printing press
die Knoblauchpresse – garlic press
In politics and law, Pressefreiheit (freedom of the press) is considered one of the pillars of democratic rights in Germany — anchored in Article 5 of the Grundgesetz (Basic Law).
The term Presse is also used in compound nouns to describe types of publications, such as:
Pressehaus – press building
Pressewesen – the press as an institution
Pressearbeit – media relations
Duden entry:
https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Presse
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