A2 verb #2,500 الأكثر شيوعاً 7 دقيقة للقراءة

kommentieren

At the A1 level, you learn 'kommentieren' primarily in the context of social media and basic communication. You might see it on a website next to a speech bubble icon. It means to write something short under a picture or a post. You don't need to worry about complex grammar yet; just remember that you 'kommentieren' a photo or a video. It is a regular verb, but remember it doesn't use 'ge-' in the past. Example: 'Ich kommentiere dein Foto.' (I comment on your photo).
At the A2 level, you start using 'kommentieren' to describe daily activities and professional tasks. You might talk about a sports commentator on TV or explain that you are giving feedback on a friend's idea. You should be comfortable using it in the present tense and the Perfekt tense ('Ich habe kommentiert'). You also learn that it takes the accusative case. It's a useful word for discussing how people interact online or how news is reported. You might say, 'Der Lehrer kommentiert die Fehler im Test.'
By B1, you use 'kommentieren' in more formal contexts, such as work or school. You understand that it implies more than just 'saying'—it involves an element of explanation or opinion. You can use it to describe media behavior, like when a politician refuses to comment on a scandal ('Er wollte das nicht kommentieren'). You also start to see it in technical contexts, like 'Code kommentieren' in IT. You can combine it with adverbs to show the quality of the comment: 'Sie kommentierte den Vorschlag sehr kritisch.'
At the B2 level, you distinguish 'kommentieren' from synonyms like 'erläutern', 'interpretieren', or 'Stellung nehmen'. You use it to discuss complex topics like journalism, where 'der Kommentar' is a specific genre of writing. You understand the nuances of 'running commentary' in sports or live events. You can use the passive voice effectively: 'Die aktuelle Lage wird in den Medien viel kommentiert.' Your vocabulary expands to include related terms like 'Kommentator' and 'kommentierbar'.
At the C1 level, you use 'kommentieren' with precision in academic and professional discourse. You might use it to describe the process of writing a 'Kommentar' for a legal code or a classical text. You understand its use in subtle social contexts, such as 'etwas ironisch kommentieren'. You can analyze how commentary shapes public opinion. You are expected to use the verb fluently in complex sentence structures, perhaps using the subjunctive or advanced passive constructions to discuss theoretical frameworks or media theory.
At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'kommentieren' and its stylistic implications. You can use it to discuss the philosophy of language or the role of the 'omniscient commentator' in literature. You understand archaic or highly specialized uses in philology (e.g., 'kommentierte Gesamtausgabe'). You can engage in high-level debates about the ethics of commentary in the digital age, using the word to describe subtle rhetorical strategies. Your usage is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker.

kommentieren في 30 ثانية

  • Kommentieren means to comment or annotate, used widely from social media to professional sports and academic writing.
  • It is a regular verb but does not take the 'ge-' prefix in the past participle (kommentiert).
  • In German, it usually takes a direct accusative object without needing the preposition 'on' (auf).
  • It is essential for giving feedback, analyzing news, or explaining technical code in programming.

The German verb kommentieren is a versatile term that primarily translates to "to comment" or "to provide commentary." At its core, it involves expressing an opinion, providing an explanation, or offering a critique regarding a specific event, statement, or piece of work. Unlike simple speaking, kommentieren implies a level of secondary observation—you are reacting to something that already exists. In the modern digital age, this word has seen a massive surge in usage due to social media platforms where users 'comment' on posts, videos, and news articles. However, its roots are much deeper, stemming from the Latin commentari, which suggests a process of careful consideration and interpretation.

Everyday Usage
Refers to leaving a message on a friend's photo or giving a quick opinion on a meal.
Professional Context
Refers to a journalist analyzing a political speech or a sports announcer describing a match.
Technical Context
In computer science, it refers to adding explanatory notes within source code that the compiler ignores.

"Der Reporter muss das Spiel sachlich kommentieren, ohne seine eigene Meinung zu stark einzubringen."

— Example of professional sports commentary.

When you kommentieren something, you are essentially building a bridge between the raw information and the audience's understanding. It is an active process. In a classroom, a teacher might comment on a student's essay, providing feedback that is both evaluative and constructive. In a legal sense, a Kommentar (the noun form) is a detailed legal treatise that explains the nuances of specific laws. Thus, the verb carries a weight of authority or at least the intent to clarify. It is important to note that kommentieren is a transitive verb, meaning it almost always takes a direct object in the accusative case—you comment on something (etwas kommentieren).

"Bitte kommentieren Sie die folgenden Grafiken in Ihrem Bericht."

"Er wollte die Gerüchte über seinen Rücktritt nicht kommentieren."

Social Media
The act of typing a response under a YouTube video or Instagram post.
Literature
Writing footnotes or endnotes that explain archaic language or historical context.

"In der Programmierung ist es wichtig, den Code gut zu kommentieren."

Using kommentieren correctly requires understanding its grammatical behavior as a regular (weak) verb. In the present tense, it follows the standard pattern: ich kommentiere, du kommentierst, er/sie/es kommentiert. Because it ends in -ieren, it has a specific quirk in the past participle: it does not take the ge- prefix. Therefore, the perfect tense is formed with haben and the participle kommentiert (e.g., "Ich habe das Foto kommentiert"). This is a common rule for German verbs of French or Latin origin ending in -ieren.

Syntactic Structures

The most common structure is [Subject] + [Verb] + [Accusative Object]. For example: "Der Experte kommentiert die politische Lage." Here, 'die politische Lage' is the direct object. If you want to specify how someone is commenting, you can add adverbs like kritisch (critically), ausführlich (extensively), or knapp (briefly). Another structure involves the preposition mit to indicate the content of the comment: "Er kommentierte den Vorschlag mit einem Kopfschütteln" (He commented on the proposal with a shake of the head).

  • Direct Accusative: "Sie kommentiert den Blogartikel."
  • With Preposition 'zu': Occasionally, you see "einen Kommentar zu etwas abgeben," but the verb itself usually stays transitive.
  • Passive Voice: "Das Spiel wird von einem Profi kommentiert." (The game is being commented on by a professional).

In academic writing, kommentieren is used to describe the analysis of data. You might write, "Die Ergebnisse werden in Kapitel 4 kommentiert." In this context, it is synonymous with 'interpretieren' or 'erläutern'. In the workplace, your boss might ask you to "den Entwurf zu kommentieren," which means they want your feedback or suggested changes. It is a very 'active' verb that suggests engagement with the material at hand.

You will encounter kommentieren in several distinct environments, each with its own flavor. The most frequent today is undoubtedly the Digital Sphere. Every German website with a feedback section will have a button or a prompt saying "Hier kommentieren" or "Schreiben Sie einen Kommentar." Influencers on TikTok or Instagram constantly ask their followers: "Kommentiert unten eure Meinung!" (Comment your opinion below!). This has made the word one of the most recognized verbs for learners of all levels.

Another major arena is Sports Broadcasting. A Sportkommentator is the person who narrates the action. During a Bundesliga match, you might hear, "Wolff Fuss kommentiert heute das Top-Spiel." Here, the word describes the live, play-by-play description combined with expert analysis. Similarly, in News and Politics, journalists often say, "Die Kanzlerin wollte den Vorfall nicht kommentieren," which is the standard German equivalent of "No comment." This phrase is a staple of press conferences and news reports.

In Educational and Professional settings, the word is used for feedback. A professor might say, "Ich habe Ihre Hausarbeit bereits kommentiert," meaning they have written notes in the margins. In software development offices, you'll hear developers talking about "Code kommentieren" to ensure that their colleagues can understand the logic behind a specific function. Whether it's a snarky remark on a forum or a deep dive into a legal text, kommentieren is the go-to verb for adding voice to a subject.

One of the most frequent errors made by English speakers is the over-reliance on prepositions. In English, we almost always "comment on" something. In German, while you can say "einen Kommentar zu etwas abgeben," the verb kommentieren is usually used directly with the accusative. Saying "Ich kommentiere auf das Bild" is a common anglicism and sounds unnatural to native ears. Instead, simply say: "Ich kommentiere das Bild."

Another mistake involves the past participle. Many learners, following the general rule for weak verbs, try to say "gekommentiert." However, as mentioned before, verbs ending in -ieren do not take the ge- prefix. The correct form is kommentiert. Using "gekommentiert" is a hallmark of a beginner and should be avoided as you progress to A2 and B1 levels.

  • ❌ Wrong: "Er hat das Spiel gekommentiert."
  • ✅ Right: "Er hat das Spiel kommentiert."
  • ❌ Wrong: "Kannst du über meinen Beitrag kommentieren?"
  • ✅ Right: "Kannst du meinen Beitrag kommentieren?"

Finally, confusion between the verb kommentieren and the noun Kommentar can lead to awkward phrasing. You don't "machen" a kommentieren; you either kommentieren (verb) or geben einen Kommentar ab (noun phrase). Keeping these distinct will significantly improve your fluency and make your German sound much more authentic.

While kommentieren is specific, several other German verbs share its semantic space. Understanding the differences between them will help you choose the right word for the right situation. Erläutern is a close relative, but it focuses more on explanation and clarification of facts rather than offering an opinion. If you are explaining how a machine works, you erläutern it; if you are giving your thoughts on why it's a good machine, you kommentieren it.

Interpretieren is another similar word, often used in academic or artistic contexts. To interpretieren a poem is to look for deeper meaning, whereas to kommentieren it might just be to explain the vocabulary or historical references. Bemerkungen machen (to make remarks) is a more casual way to express the idea of commenting, often used in conversation. Kritisieren is more specific—it means to comment specifically on the negative aspects or to provide a critical evaluation.

Anmerken
To note or mention something briefly as a side point.
Stellung nehmen
A formal expression meaning "to take a stand" or "to give an official statement" on an issue.
Glossieren
A more literary term for adding brief explanations or even satirical comments to a text.

In summary, use kommentieren when you are providing a structured response or a running narrative. Use erläutern for pure explanation, interpretieren for deep analysis, and Stellung nehmen for formal, often political, responses. Choosing the right synonym demonstrates a higher level of language mastery and allows for more precise communication.

How Formal Is It?

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غير رسمي

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1

Ich kommentiere dein Bild auf Instagram.

I am commenting on your picture on Instagram.

Present tense, direct object 'dein Bild'.

2

Kannst du mein Video kommentieren?

Can you comment on my video?

Modal verb 'können' with infinitive 'kommentieren'.

3

Er kommentiert oft bei Facebook.

He often comments on Facebook.

Use of 'bei' to indicate the platform.

4

Wir kommentieren die Fotos zusammen.

We are commenting on the photos together.

Plural 'wir' form.

5

Bitte kommentieren Sie hier.

Please comment here.

Imperative form (formal).

6

Sie kommentiert alles, was ich schreibe.

She comments on everything I write.

Relative clause 'was ich schreibe'.

7

Ich habe das Foto gestern kommentiert.

I commented on the photo yesterday.

Perfekt tense; note no 'ge-' prefix.

8

Warum kommentierst du nicht?

Why aren't you commenting?

Question form.

1

Der Reporter kommentiert das Fußballspiel.

The reporter is commenting on the football match.

Professional context.

2

Meine Mutter kommentiert immer mein Essen.

My mother always comments on my food.

Daily life usage.

3

Ich möchte diesen Punkt kurz kommentieren.

I would like to comment briefly on this point.

Use of 'möchte' + infinitive.

4

Hast du den neuen Blogartikel kommentiert?

Did you comment on the new blog article?

Perfekt tense question.

5

Der Lehrer kommentiert die Hausaufgaben der Schüler.

The teacher comments on the students' homework.

Genitive 'der Schüler'.

6

Wir sollten die Ergebnisse sachlich kommentieren.

We should comment on the results objectively.

Adverb 'sachlich'.

7

Sie hat den Beitrag mit einem Smiley kommentiert.

She commented on the post with a smiley.

Preposition 'mit' for the content.

8

Niemand hat mein neues Profilbild kommentiert.

Nobody commented on my new profile picture.

Negative subject 'niemand'.

1

Der Politiker wollte die Vorwürfe nicht kommentieren.

The politician did not want to comment on the allegations.

Formal/News context.

2

Es ist wichtig, den Quellcode gut zu kommentieren.

It is important to comment the source code well.

Technical/IT context.

3

Die Presse kommentiert die Entscheidung der Regierung.

The press is commenting on the government's decision.

Collective noun 'die Presse'.

4

Er kommentierte die Situation mit einem ironischen Lächeln.

He commented on the situation with an ironic smile.

Präteritum tense.

5

Könnten Sie bitte die Grafik in der Präsentation kommentieren?

Could you please comment on the graphic in the presentation?

Subjunctive II for politeness.

6

Ich habe mich geweigert, das Gerücht zu kommentieren.

I refused to comment on the rumor.

Infinitive clause with 'zu'.

7

Das Video wurde tausendfach kommentiert.

The video was commented on thousands of times.

Passive voice.

8

Sie kommentiert die Ereignisse live auf Twitter.

She is commenting on the events live on Twitter.

Adverb 'live'.

1

Der Experte kommentierte die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung ausführlich.

The expert commented extensively on the economic development.

Adverb 'ausführlich'.

2

Es steht mir nicht zu, sein Privatleben zu kommentieren.

It is not my place to comment on his private life.

Idiomatic expression 'es steht mir nicht zu'.

3

Die Kritiker kommentierten das neue Theaterstück eher negativ.

The critics commented on the new play rather negatively.

Adverbial phrase 'eher negativ'.

4

Man sollte nicht alles ungefiltert kommentieren.

One should not comment on everything without filtering.

Adverb 'ungefiltert'.

5

Die Schiedsrichterentscheidung wurde hitzig kommentiert.

The referee's decision was heatedly commented on.

Passive voice + adverb 'hitzig'.

6

Er pflegt seine Beiträge in den sozialen Medien selbst zu kommentieren.

He is in the habit of commenting on his own social media posts.

Verb 'pflegen' + 'zu' + infinitive.

7

In seinem Buch kommentiert er die gesellschaftlichen Veränderungen.

In his book, he comments on social changes.

Academic/Literary context.

8

Die Sprecherin lehnte es ab, die laufenden Ermittlungen zu kommentieren.

The spokesperson refused to comment on the ongoing investigations.

Reflexive verb 'ablehnen' with infinitive.

1

Der Autor kommentiert in den Fußnoten historische Hintergründe.

The author comments on historical backgrounds in the footnotes.

Specific literary usage.

2

Es ist müßig, jede kleine Fehlentscheidung zu kommentieren.

It is futile to comment on every small wrong decision.

Adjective 'müßig'.

3

Die Ereignisse wurden von der internationalen Presse scharf kommentiert.

The events were sharply commented on by the international press.

Passive voice with agent 'von'.

4

Er kommentierte den Vorfall lediglich mit einem Achselzucken.

He merely commented on the incident with a shrug of the shoulders.

Adverb 'lediglich'.

5

Die juristischen Texte sind umfassend kommentiert worden.

The legal texts have been comprehensively commented on.

Perfekt Passive.

6

Sie kommentierte die ironische Wendung des Schicksals.

She commented on the ironic twist of fate.

Abstract object.

7

Der Regisseur kommentiert die DVD-Fassung seines Films.

The director provides commentary for the DVD version of his film.

Special media usage (Audio commentary).

8

Es wäre unklug, die Strategie der Konkurrenz öffentlich zu kommentieren.

It would be unwise to publicly comment on the competitor's strategy.

Subjunctive II 'wäre'.

1

Die Philologin hat die Fragmente des antiken Textes akribisch kommentiert.

The philologist has meticulously commented on the fragments of the ancient text.

High-level academic vocabulary.

2

Das Zeitgeschehen wird hier aus einer dezidiert linken Perspektive kommentiert.

Current events are commented on here from a decidedly leftist perspective.

Adverb 'dezidiert'.

3

Er vermochte es nicht, die bittere Ironie der Situation zu kommentieren.

He was unable to comment on the bitter irony of the situation.

Elevated verb 'vermögen'.

4

Die Kommentierung der Verfassung erfordert tiefgehende Sachkenntnis.

The commentary on the constitution requires profound expertise.

Nominalization 'Kommentierung'.

5

Man sollte davon absehen, Gerüchte ungeprüft zu kommentieren.

One should refrain from commenting on rumors without verification.

Prepositional verb 'absehen von'.

6

In seinem Essay kommentiert er das Paradoxon der Moderne.

In his essay, he comments on the paradox of modernity.

Philosophical context.

7

Die Laudatio kommentierte den Lebensweg des Preisträgers auf bewegende Weise.

The eulogy commented on the award winner's life path in a moving way.

Formal ceremonial context.

8

Es ist bezeichnend, wie die Medien dieses Schweigen kommentieren.

It is telling how the media comments on this silence.

Adjective 'bezeichnend'.

تلازمات شائعة

ein Spiel kommentieren
ein Foto kommentieren
einen Beitrag kommentieren
kritisch kommentieren
ausführlich kommentieren
live kommentieren
den Code kommentieren
die Lage kommentieren
ironisch kommentieren
sachlich kommentieren

العبارات الشائعة

Kein Kommentar.

Dazu möchte ich mich nicht kommentieren.

Bitte fleißig kommentieren!

Den Vorfall kommentieren.

Ein Ereignis live kommentieren.

Einen Text kommentieren.

Die Ergebnisse kommentieren.

Etwas kurz kommentieren.

Einen Blogpost kommentieren.

Die politische Situation kommentieren.

يُخلط عادةً مع

kommentieren vs kommunizieren

To communicate (general) vs. to comment (specific feedback).

kommentieren vs kommandieren

To command/order someone vs. to comment.

kommentieren vs kompensieren

To compensate vs. to comment.

تعبيرات اصطلاحية

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سهل الخلط

kommentieren vs

kommentieren vs

kommentieren vs

kommentieren vs

kommentieren vs

أنماط الجُمل

كيفية الاستخدام

journalism

Used for opinion pieces.

programming

Used for adding non-executable notes in code.

social media

Very common for 'to leave a comment'.

أخطاء شائعة
  • Using 'gekommentiert' instead of 'kommentiert'.
  • Using 'kommentieren auf' instead of just the accusative object.
  • Confusing 'kommentieren' with 'kommunizieren'.
  • Forgetting the double 'm' in spelling.
  • Using 'machen' + 'Kommentar' when the verb 'kommentieren' is more natural.

نصائح

No 'ge-' prefix

Always remember that -ieren verbs like kommentieren, studieren, and telefonieren do not use 'ge-' in the past participle.

Social Media

Use this verb when asking friends to interact with your posts: 'Kommentiert mein Video!'

Kein Kommentar

This is a great phrase to know for avoiding tricky questions in a fun or serious way.

Direct Object

Don't translate 'comment on' literally. Just use the thing you are commenting on as the direct object.

Feedback

In a job, if you are asked to 'kommentieren' a document, it means provide your professional feedback.

Footnotes

In books, 'kommentiert' often refers to the explanatory notes provided by an editor.

Sports

Watch a German football match to hear the word 'Kommentator' and 'kommentieren' in action.

Double M

Ensure you spell it with two 'm's, just like in the English 'comment'.

Opinion vs Fact

Use 'kommentieren' when there is an element of personal or expert opinion involved.

Coding

If you are a developer, 'Code kommentieren' is a vital part of your German technical vocabulary.

احفظها

أصل الكلمة

From Latin 'commentari' (to consider, to think over, to write notes on).

السياق الثقافي

German law students use 'Kommentare'—huge books that explain every paragraph of the law in detail.

The 'Kommentar' is a specific journalistic genre in Germany where the author expresses a clear personal opinion, separate from objective news reporting.

تدرّب في الحياة الواقعية

سياقات واقعية

بدايات محادثة

"Hast du das neue Video von ihm kommentiert?"

"Wie würdest du die aktuelle politische Lage kommentieren?"

"Soll ich deinen Entwurf heute noch kommentieren?"

"Warum hat niemand meinen Beitrag kommentiert?"

"Welcher Sportkommentator ist dein Favorit?"

مواضيع للكتابة اليومية

Schreibe darüber, wie du dich fühlst, wenn jemand deine Fotos negativ kommentiert.

Kommentiere ein aktuelles Ereignis in deiner Stadt.

Warum ist es wichtig, Code in der Programmierung zu kommentieren?

Beschreibe eine Situation, in der du lieber 'Kein Kommentar' gesagt hättest.

Welche Art von Kommentaren liest du am liebsten im Internet?

الأسئلة الشائعة

10 أسئلة

Usually no. It takes a direct accusative object. You comment the thing, not 'on' the thing.

It is 'kommentiert'. Verbs ending in -ieren never take the 'ge-' prefix in the past participle.

Yes, it is the standard word for leaving a comment on any digital platform.

A commentator, usually someone who narrates sports or provides expert analysis on news.

It can be both. It is used in casual social media contexts and in very formal academic or legal contexts.

It means 'No comment,' used when someone refuses to answer a question.

In German, you often say 'auskommentieren'.

It is a weak (regular) verb.

Yes, you can use 'mit', for example: 'Er kommentierte das mit einem Lachen'.

'Erklären' is to explain how something works; 'kommentieren' is to give an opinion or feedback on it.

اختبر نفسك 180 أسئلة

/ 180 correct

Perfect score!

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