01
der Football
football
A team sport originating in the USA that is played with an oval ball (American football).
example
Jeden Sonntagabend schaut er mit seinen Freunden Football.
Every Sunday evening, he watches football with his friends.
der Football
football
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
Careful: in German, 'Football' almost always means 'American football'. The world's most popular ball sport, which is called 'football' in British English, is called 'Fußball' in German.
EXAMPLE
Der Super Bowl ist das Finale der amerikanischen Football-Saison.
The Super Bowl is the final of the American football season.
Context clue
The verb tells you whether the sport or the ball is meant. Verbs like 'spielen' (to play), 'schauen' (to watch), or 'trainieren' (to train) refer to the sport. Verbs like 'werfen' (to throw), 'fangen' (to catch), or 'kaufen' (to buy) refer to the ball.
EXAMPLE
Wollen wir am Sonntag zusammen Football schauen?
Do we want to watch football together on Sunday?
Typical collocations
When referring to the sport, 'Football' is often used in combinations such as 'Football spielen' (to play football), 'Football-Fan' (football fan), 'Football-Mannschaft' (football team), or 'Football-Spiel' (football game).
EXAMPLE
Er ist ein großer Football-Fan und verpasst kein Spiel seiner Mannschaft.
He is a big football fan and never misses one of his team's games.
Compare with
Football vs Fußball
soccer / football
'Fußball' and 'Football' sound similar, and both refer to a team sport as well as the ball used for it. In German, 'Fußball' normally means soccer, the sport with a round ball that is played mainly with the feet. 'Football' usually means American football, the sport from the USA with an oval ball. Learners may confuse the words because English 'football' can mean different things depending on the country. In German, the simple guide is: 'Fußball' is the familiar sport with goals and a round ball, while 'Football' is American football.
Football
Jana hat im Sportgeschäft einen Football für das Training gekauft.
Jana bought a football for training at the sporting goods store.
Fußball
Nach der Arbeit spielen die Kinder aus der Nachbarschaft Fußball auf dem kleinen Platz.
After work, the neighborhood children play soccer on the small field.
In real life
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