die Biografie
biography
A book or text that describes a person's life and was written by someone else.
EXAMPLE
Ich lese gerade eine faszinierende Biografie über Albert Einstein.
I'm currently reading a fascinating biography of Albert Einstein.
die Biografie
biography
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Meanings
die Biografie
life story
A person's own résumé or life story, with all important events and developments.
EXAMPLE
Seine Biografie ist geprägt von vielen Reisen und beruflichen Veränderungen.
His life story is shaped by many travels and career changes.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word comes from Greek: 'bios' means 'life' and 'graphein' means 'to write'. A Biografie is therefore literally a 'Lebensbeschreibung' (description of a life).
EXAMPLE
Für ihr Studium musste sie eine kurze Biografie über eine historische Persönlichkeit schreiben.
For her studies, she had to write a short biography of a historical figure.
Context clue
The verb used helps distinguish the meanings. Verbs like 'lesen' (to read), 'schreiben' (to write), or 'veröffentlichen' (to publish) refer to the book. Phrases like 'eine Biografie haben' (to have a biography / life story) or 'in seiner Biografie' (in his biography / life story) refer to the life history.
EXAMPLE
Er hat eine spannende Biografie über Marie Curie gelesen.
He read an exciting biography of Marie Curie.
Typical collocations
When referring to the book, typical verbs are 'eine Biografie schreiben' (to write a biography), 'eine Biografie lesen' (to read a biography), or 'eine Biografie veröffentlichen' (to publish a biography).
EXAMPLE
Der Autor arbeitet seit fünf Jahren an einer neuen Biografie.
The author has been working on a new biography for five years.
Compare with
Biografie vs Lebenslauf
résumé / life story
Lebenslauf and Biografie can both present important stages in a person's life. A Lebenslauf is generally a brief, structured overview, especially for job applications, whereas a Biografie describes a person's life in a more narrative and detailed way. For an application document, use „Lebenslauf“; for a book or longer text, use „Biografie“.
Biografie
Die Biografie des Schauspielers beschreibt auch seine schwierigen Jahre vor dem Erfolg.
The actor's biography also describes the difficult years he went through before becoming successful.
Lebenslauf
Im Lebenslauf stehen ihre Ausbildung und ihre bisherigen Arbeitsstellen übersichtlich untereinander.
Her résumé lists her education and previous jobs in a clear, orderly format.
In real life
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