How do you say start in German?

It’s what kicks things off - whether it’s a race, a day, a rocket, or a new job. In German, it’s der Start. This is your German Word of the Day - short, energetic, and used in everything from sports to technology.

The noun Start means start, launch, or takeoff, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s used in both literal and metaphorical contexts and is especially common in sports, transportation, and career talk.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Start (want to get gender right without second-guessing? Our video lesson makes it easy and reliable).

Pronunciation

Start is pronounced [shtart]

• The St at the beginning is pronounced sht (like shtart)

• Rhymes with English “part”

• One strong syllable: Start

Example sentences

• Der Start war pünktlich.The start was on time.

• Sie bereiten sich auf den Start vor.They’re preparing for the start.

• Der Start ins neue Jahr war vielversprechend.The start to the new year was promising.

Nuance and usage tips

Start often refers to the beginning of an event, a journey, or an action.

🚀 Common contexts:

• Rennstart / Wettkampfstart - race start

• Raketenstart - rocket launch

• Flugzeugstart - airplane takeoff

• Karrierestart - career start

• Neustart - restart (e.g., of a system or a new phase in life)

• Startlinie - starting line

• Startsignal - starting signal

🖥️ In tech:

• Systemstart - system boot/start-up

• Neustart - reboot (used for computers and life situations alike)

🗣️ Typical phrases:

• einen guten Start haben - to have a good start

• am Start sein - to be ready / in position (slangy, also used in youth culture and rap)
  Starten is common for engines, rockets, races and apps. For starting work, learning or a hobby, anfangen and beginnen are common; starten can also introduce an activity or project.

• Fehlstart - false start

How does this word come up in real conversations?