to formulate
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to formulate
To put thoughts, a request, or a statement into specific words and express them linguistically.
Bitte formulieren Sie Ihre Frage so präzise wie möglich.
Please formulate your question as precisely as possible.
'Formulieren' (to formulate) belongs to the word family of 'Form' (form) and 'Formel' (formula). It means bringing thoughts or ideas into a fixed, understandable linguistic form.
Er fand es schwierig, seine Gefühle zu formulieren.
He found it difficult to formulate his feelings.
The verb 'formulieren' (to formulate) is often used in formal, official, or academic contexts, especially in written language. It often sounds more considered and precise.
Im Anschreiben müssen Sie Ihre Motivation klar formulieren.
In the cover letter, you must formulate your motivation clearly.
You can formulate many things: a sentence, a question, a request, a goal, criticism, or a wish. It is often combined with adverbs like 'klar' (clearly), 'präzise' (precisely), or 'vorsichtig' (carefully).
Sie formulierte ihre Kritik sehr vorsichtig, um niemanden zu verletzen.
She formulated her criticism very carefully so as not to hurt anyone.
The chemical meaning is very specific and is used exclusively in scientific contexts. You can recognize it immediately from words like 'Reaktion' (reaction), 'Formel' (formula), or chemical symbols.
Im Chemieunterricht haben wir gelernt, wie man eine Reaktionsgleichung formuliert.
In chemistry class, we learned how to formulate a reaction equation.
to write
'schreiben' and 'formulieren' can both have to do with texts and language. 'schreiben' means creating a text, for example an email, a letter, or a report. 'formulieren' means finding the right words for a thought, a request, or a statement. So you can write a text and spend a long time thinking about how to formulate a sentence. Learners may confuse the words because both happen when writing. In practical terms: 'schreiben' is the activity, while 'formulieren' is the precise choice of words.
Im Bewerbungsschreiben formulierte er seine Bitte besonders höflich.
In the cover letter, he formulated his request especially politely.
Meine Freundin schreibt heute eine E-Mail an die Bank.
My friend is writing an email to the bank today.