Whether it's a quick text, a voicemail, or a headline on the evening news, messages are everywhere. Knowing how to say message in German gives you a way to talk about communication in every form — from casual chat to world events.
The German word is die Nachricht. It’s feminine, and the plural is die Nachrichten. If you’re still sorting out articles and gender, my gender video lesson will clear it up for good.
Nachricht is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and is essential for everyday life — especially in the digital world.
Quick examples in each case:
Nominative:
Die Nachricht kam spät.
The message arrived late.
Accusative:
Ich habe eine Nachricht bekommen.
I got a message.
Dative:
Er antwortet auf die Nachricht.
He’s replying to the message.
Genitive:
Der Inhalt der Nachricht war schockierend.
The content of the message was shocking.
Nachricht covers everything from personal messages to global news.
Hey. My name's Stephan. I wrote this blog post. What I also did: I filmed myself teaching German to some absolute beginners! See how that went...
Some of the most useful phrases include:
eine Nachricht schicken / bekommen – to send / receive a message
eine schlechte / gute Nachricht – bad / good news
eine kurze Nachricht hinterlassen – to leave a short message
die Nachrichten – the news (as in, on TV or radio)
keine Nachricht ist auch eine Nachricht – no news is also news
Verbs: bekommen, lesen, verstehen, löschen (delete), beantworten
Adjectives: wichtig (important), neu (new), erschreckend (frightening), persönlich (personal), offiziell (official)
The plural Nachrichten often means “the news,” and is used in media contexts (TV, newspapers, etc.).
Beginner dialogue using Nachricht:
A: Hast du meine Nachricht gelesen?
B: Ja, ich antworte gleich!
A: Did you read my message?
B: Yes, I’ll reply in a sec!
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Nachricht.
“Was war die letzte Nachricht, die du geschickt hast — und an wen?”
What was the last message you sent — and to whom?
Try to include the word Nachricht in your answer — out loud, just for you.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say message in German — and how die Nachricht helps you speak about texting, updates, and media with ease.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German to expand your vocabulary with real-world value.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Nation — and talk about identity, belonging, and global ideas.
Or revisit Minute — and master the language of time.