You might be surprised how often we talk about “loads” in everyday life — a load of laundry, a truckload of sand, an emotional burden, or even an electric charge. The word load in German captures all of this, and more.
The word is Ladung — pronounced “LAH-doong” (with a soft oo like in moon).
Ladung is feminine, so it’s die Ladung. The plural is die Ladungen. If you're not sure how gender works, my gender video lesson gives a solid overview in plain English.
Ladung is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it pops up in logistics, science, legal notices, and even slang.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Die Ladung ist schwer und ungesichert.
The load is heavy and unsecured.
Accusative:
Ich habe die Ladung überprüft.
I checked the load.
Dative:
Mit der Ladung stimmt etwas nicht.
Something’s wrong with the load.
Genitive:
Die Größe der Ladung war zu hoch.
The size of the load was too large.
Real-World Tips for Learners
In German, Ladung is the go-to word for transported goods, whether it’s a truck, ship, or even a metaphorical burden. You’ll hear:
eine schwere Ladung – a heavy load
eine gefährliche Ladung – a dangerous load (e.g. chemicals)
eine neue Ladung Wäsche – a new load of laundry
eine emotionale Ladung – emotional weight or intensity
eine elektrische Ladung – an electric charge
In legal language, Ladung also refers to a summons:
eine gerichtliche Ladung – a court summons.
You’ll usually see this in mail from government offices, courts, or insurance.
The verb laden (to load) is directly related — so:
Der LKW wird gerade geladen. – The truck is being loaded.
In casual speech, eine Ladung davon can even be used playfully, like:
Ich brauche eine Ladung Kaffee. – I need a load of coffee!
Beginner dialogue using Ladung:
A: Was ist in diesem LKW?
B: Eine Ladung Ziegelsteine.
A: What’s in this truck?
B: A load of bricks.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Ladung.
“Welche Art von Ladung hast du zuletzt getragen oder gesehen?”
What kind of load did you last carry or see?
Say your answer out loud in German and include Ladung in the sentence.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say load in German — and how die Ladung can refer to everything from laundry to legal letters to energy.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to keep building a vocabulary with real-world impact.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Kombination — and learn how to mix logic and creativity.
Or revisit Köder — perfect for spotting traps and tricks in everyday German.