Nachricht

Nachricht is a German noun with several related meanings. Most commonly it denotes information conveyed from one person or source to another, i.e., a message or note. It also refers to news, as in the plural die Nachrichten, and to a notification or report produced by a system or device in technical contexts.

Etymology and overview: Nachricht comes from the verb nachrichten, meaning to inform or report. The noun has long been used to describe the act of telling something after it happens and the information that results from that act. In everyday language, the meaning is usually clear from context: a personal message, a piece of information, or a report in the news.

Usage in speech and writing: In ordinary conversation one can say, for example, Ich habe eine Nachricht erhalten (I received a message) or Ich werde dir eine Nachricht schicken (I will send you a message). Plural usage shifts to die Nachrichten when referring to multiple messages or to news items. In journalism, Nachrichten commonly denotes the news as a field or program, e.g., die Nachrichten im Fernsehen, and is often extended with compound forms such as Nachrichtensendung or Nachrichtenagentur.

Technology and communications: In computing and digital communication, Nachricht is used for data packets, alerts, and push notifications. Common phrases include eine Nachricht senden (to send a message) and eine ungelesene Nachricht (an unread message). In many German-speaking regions, die Nachricht can also appear in contexts describing system-generated status updates or alerts.

See also: Nachrichten, Nachrichtensendung, Nachrichtenagentur.