How to talk about removing something in German
There are two main verbs in German for “to remove”, to take something from its position. Those are “entfernen” (from “fern”, meaning “far”) and “beseitigen” (from “Seite” (f.), meaning “side”). In the sense of “to delete” or “to erase”, the word is “löschen”. To express “to take out”, the German word is “herausnehmen”. The noun “removal” is “Entfernung” (f.) (but note: this word also means “distance”) or “Beseitigung” (f.):
– “Die Zahnpasta entfernt Zahnstein.” – “The toothpaste removes tartar.”
– “Der Stein ist nicht zu beseitigen.” – “The rock is irremovable.”
– “Ich habe aus versehen den ganzen Text gelöscht.” – “I accidentally deleted the entire text.”
– “Du musst unbedingt das dritte Wort herausnehmen.” – “You absolutely have to take the third word out.”
– “We have to organize the trash removal.” – “Wir müssen die Abfallbeseitigung organisieren.”
Listen up, lurkers!
We filmed an entire beginner German course!
More cool stuff from Expath
The best ways to remember gender in German
How's your German? Take our free online test!
How to get a handle on childcare in Berlin
Join us for small online German classes for English speakers
How to go about finding a flat in Berlin and Germany
All the different ways to say you're exhausted in German
Want to work as a freelancer in Germany but need more info?
Want to live and work in Germany but not sure how to do it?
How to obtain an artist visa for Berlin
How do English speakers find jobs in Germany?
All of Expath's German "words of the day"
How to tell time in German