das Buch
book
A bound work made up of printed or written pages that exists as a physical or digital object.
EXAMPLE
Ich lese gerade ein spannendes Buch über die Geschichte Roms.
I'm currently reading an exciting book about the history of Rome.
das Buch
book
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Meanings
das Buch
book
A specific literary or academic work, regardless of its physical form.
EXAMPLE
„Die Verwandlung“ ist das bekannteste Buch von Kafka.
'The Metamorphosis' is Kafka's best-known book.
Buch führen
to keep books
To systematically record the financial transactions of a business. Usually used in the plural, 'die Bücher' (the books).
EXAMPLE
Jeder Kaufmann ist gesetzlich verpflichtet, ordentlich Buch zu führen.
Every merchant is legally required to keep proper books.
das Buch
book
A main section of a larger literary or sacred text, such as the Bible.
EXAMPLE
Die Schöpfungsgeschichte steht im ersten Buch Mose.
The creation story is in the first book of Moses.
Usage tips
Part of many words
'Buch' (book) is the basis for many compound nouns. If you recognize 'Buch', you can often guess the meaning of words like 'Wörterbuch' (dictionary), 'Kochbuch' (cookbook), or 'Handbuch' (manual).
EXAMPLE
Ich schlage unbekannte Wörter immer im Wörterbuch nach.
I always look up unfamiliar words in the dictionary.
Typical collocations
Common verbs are 'lesen' (to read), 'schreiben' (to write), and 'veröffentlichen' (to publish). To talk about the topic, you use the preposition 'über' (about) with the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat ein Buch über das Leben der Bienen geschrieben.
She wrote a book about the life of bees.
Fixed expression
The expression 'Buch führen' (to keep books) means to document finances. It is almost always used in the context of business or finance, often also in the plural: 'die Bücher führen' (to keep the books).
EXAMPLE
Kleine Unternehmen müssen ebenfalls sorgfältig Buch führen.
Small businesses also have to keep careful books.
Context clue
When 'Buch' (book) refers to a part of a large work such as the Bible, it often appears with an ordinal number, e.g. 'erstes' (first), 'zweites' (second). The context is usually religious or historical.
EXAMPLE
Die Geschichte von David und Goliath steht im ersten Buch Samuel.
The story of David and Goliath is in the first book of Samuel.
Compare with
Buch vs Titel
title
Buch and Titel can refer to the same published work in the book trade. Buch refers to the physical or digital book as an object, while Titel refers to the name under which the work is listed and found. Use Buch when talking about buying or reading it, and Titel when referring to its name.
Buch
Ich habe das Buch gestern im Buchhandel gekauft.
I bought the book at the bookstore yesterday.
Titel
Der Titel des Romans steht auf der Liste des Buchhandels.
The title of the novel is on the bookstore's list.
In real life
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