kommentieren

Kommentieren is a German verb that denotes the act of giving remarks about something, explaining, interpreting, or criticizing. The term is used in a broad range of contexts, from informal responses to texts to formal evaluative statements. The infinitive forms include das Kommentieren (the act), jemandem etwas kommentieren (to comment on something), and the related noun der Kommentar (the comment). A person who comments in public media is often called ein Kommentator, eine Kommentatorin.

In journalism and media, commentaries are distinguished from reports. A Bericht aims to present facts in a neutral or objective manner, while ein Kommentar expresses a criticische, evaluative or opinionated view. In this sense, Kommentare reflect the author’s perspective, provide interpretation, and may influence readers’ judgments.

In academia and literary studies, Kommentieren also means annotating a text, offering interpretive notes, or engaging in critical discussion of sources. This can involve explaining passages, relating them to theories, or citing evidence.

In the field of software development, to kommentieren means to insert comments into source code. Code comments explain logic, document decisions, or flag reminders. They are non-executable and help future readers understand the program.

In everyday use, people kommentarieren online by replying to posts, sharing opinions, or offering criticism. The tone and politeness of comments vary, and many platforms apply moderation rules to manage discourse. Overall, kommentieren is a common facilitation of dialogue, analysis, and documentation across domains.