01
das Gebet
prayer
The act of praying; words of thanks, request, or worship addressed to a deity.
example
Vor dem Einschlafen sprach sie immer ein kurzes Gebet.
Before falling asleep, she always said a short prayer.
das Gebet
prayer
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'das Gebet' (prayer) is closely related to the verb 'beten' (to pray). Here, the prefix 'Ge-' turns the act of praying into a noun that describes the action itself or its formulated text.
EXAMPLE
Viele Menschen finden Trost im Gebet.
Many people find comfort in prayer.
Typical verbs
When the act of praying is meant, the fixed expression 'ein Gebet sprechen' (to say a prayer) is used very frequently. You can also say that someone is 'im Gebet versunken' (absorbed in prayer).
EXAMPLE
Er zog sich zurück, um ein stilles Gebet zu sprechen.
He withdrew in order to say a silent prayer.
Context: the text
When the formulated text of a prayer is the focus, verbs like 'aufsagen' (to recite), 'lernen' (to learn), or 'lesen' (to read) are often used. In this case, the prayer is something that can be treated like a text.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder mussten für den Gottesdienst ein langes Gebet lernen.
The children had to learn a long prayer for the church service.
Compare with
Gebet vs Segen
blessing
'der Segen' and 'das Gebet' both often belong to religion and can occur in a church or at a ceremony. Still, they are not the same thing. 'Das Gebet' is the act of praying itself or the text that someone speaks to God, for example as a request or thanks. 'Der Segen' is an action or spoken words through which protection or God's favor is bestowed. Learners may confuse the words because words are also spoken during a blessing. Put simply: in a prayer, a person addresses God; in a blessing, something good is bestowed on someone.
Gebet
In der Küche spricht Finn vor dem Essen ein kurzes Gebet.
In the kitchen, Finn says a short prayer before eating.
Segen
Am Ende der Feier gab der Pfarrer den Kindern den Segen.
At the end of the ceremony, the pastor gave the children the blessing.
In real life
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