Herladen

Herladen is a German verb formed with the prefix her- and the verb laden (to load). The prefix indicates motion toward the speaker or toward a referenced point. In practice, herladen is used to mean fetch or retrieve something from a remote source and bring it to the user, most often a digital object such as a file or data from the internet or a server. It is most common in informal speech and within IT or online contexts, where it can function as a colloquial alternative to the standard term herunterladen (to download).

Usage notes: The expression typically appears with a direct object phrased as the thing to be fetched, e.g., "Ich lasse mir die Datei aus dem Internet herladen." In formal or technical writing, and in contexts aiming for precision, the preferred form remains "herunterladen." Some speakers also use "hergeladen" as the past participle, but this form may be less accepted outside of colloquial speech.

Origin and nuance: The sense relies on the directional prefix her- meaning toward the speaker. The verb shares semantic kinship with other separable-prefix verbs built from laden, allowing it to convey the idea of bringing something toward oneself rather than simply downloading.

See also: herunterladen, laden, Download, Internet.