It’s what you watch on TV, track in the mail, or look forward to after clicking “Bestellen.” In German, it’s die Sendung. This is your German Word of the Day—versatile, media-savvy, and just as relevant at the post office as it is on Netflix.
The noun Sendung means broadcast, program, or shipment, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s all about things being sent—whether it's a signal, a package, or a story.
It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Sendung (want a better way to master gender? Our video lesson gives you clear, memorable strategies).
Pronunciation
Sendung is pronounced [ZEN-doong]
Sen like “zen”
dung rhymes with “hung”
Stress on the first syllable: SENdung
Example sentences
Die Sendung beginnt um 20 Uhr.
The show starts at 8 p.m.Ich warte noch auf meine Sendung.
I’m still waiting for my shipment.Diese Sendung ist nicht für Kinder geeignet.
This program is not suitable for children.
Nuance and usage tips
Sendung has two main meanings:
📺 Broadcast / TV or radio program
Kindersendung – children’s show
Nachrichtensendung – news program
Talkshow-Sendung – talk show episode
Sendung verpasst? – Missed the show?
📦 Parcel / shipment
Paketsendung – package shipment
Sendungsnummer – tracking number
Sendungsverfolgung – shipment tracking
Ihre Sendung ist unterwegs. – Your shipment is on its way.
💬 Other meanings:
Mission / message (more abstract or religious):
“Die Sendung des Propheten” – the prophet’s mission
How does this word come up in real conversations?
"Hast du die Sendung gestern Abend gesehen?"
Did you see the show last night?"Die Sendung ist schon seit drei Tagen unterwegs."
The package has been on the way for three days."Ich liebe diese eine Doku-Sendung auf Arte."
I love that documentary program on Arte.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Erik: Ist die Sendung schon angekommen?
Sina: Noch nicht – laut Tracking ist sie in Leipzig.
Erik: Und die Sendung gestern im Fernsehen?
Sina: Die war super! Geht nächste Woche weiter.
Translation:
Erik: Has the package arrived yet?
Sina: Not yet—according to the tracking, it’s in Leipzig.
Erik: And the TV show yesterday?
Sina: It was great! It continues next week.
Grammatical case examples
Nominative:
Die Sendung kommt heute Abend.
The program airs tonight.
Accusative:
Ich habe die Sendung aufgenommen.
I recorded the show.
Dative:
Mit der Sendung bin ich noch nicht fertig.
I’m not done with the show / shipment yet.
Genitive:
Der Inhalt der Sendung war interessant.
The content of the program was interesting.
Word variations and language tidbits
Live-Sendung – live broadcast
Sondersendung – special broadcast
Sendepause – off-air / no transmission
Sendungsstatus – shipping status
Dauersendung – long-running show
📦 Fun fact: Germans love tracking their Sendungen—many even get email alerts from DHL, Hermes, or Amazon. A common phrase is: „Sendung wurde im Start-Paketzentrum bearbeitet.“ ("Shipment processed at origin facility").
📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Sendung
🎥 Want to follow the Sendung of your German skills to fluency? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 German nouns with examples, visuals, and grammar support.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Tante means? She probably never misses her favorite Sendung.
And what about Tanz? There's a Sendung for that, too.