Virtuellen

Virtuellen is the inflected form of the German adjective virtuell, meaning virtual in the sense of not physically existing or existing as a product of technology, simulation, or potential rather than actual. It is used in attributive position and takes endings according to the German adjective declension. For example, after a definite article it appears as virtuell with various endings: die virtuellen Welten (plural nominative or accusative), im virtuellen Raum (singular dative masculine), in der virtuellen Realität (singular dative feminine).

Etymology and usage context: The word virtuell derives from French virtuel or Latin virtualis and was integrated into German vocabulary in the modern era, gaining prominence with the development of computer technology and related fields. Today it commonly describes digital environments, simulations, and non-physical phenomena such as virtual reality, virtual machines, virtual networks, or virtual assistants. The form virtuell itself remains an adjective; the noun form Das Virtuelle can occur when the concept is treated as a thing.

Grammatical notes: Virtuellen occurs in several common constructions. Plural nominative or accusative: die virtuellen Räume, die virtuellen Welten, die virtuellen Geräte. Dative singular feminine or masculine/neuter: in der virtuellen Realität, im virtuellen Raum. These patterns illustrate the typical -en ending that appears in many inflected forms after definite determiners.

See also: Virtualität, virtuelle Realität, virtuelle Maschine, virtuell vs. real. In modern German, virtuellen continues to be a standard descriptor across technology, media, and academic discourse, signaling a non-physical or simulated plane of existence.