The sum of all achievements or results produced by a person, team, machine, or company within a certain period of time.
example
Die Gesamtleistung des Sportlers in dieser Saison war beeindruckend.
The athlete's overall performance this season was impressive.
Usage tips
Compound word
The word is a clear compound of the adjective 'gesamt' (total, whole) and the noun 'die Leistung' (performance, output). So it always refers to the sum or total of a performance or output.
EXAMPLE
Für die Endnote zählt die Gesamtleistung aus allen Prüfungen.
The final grade is based on the overall performance across all exams.
Context clues
The exact meaning of 'Gesamtleistung' (overall performance / total power output) depends heavily on the context. In a sports or work context, it refers to the performance of people. In a technical context, it refers to the power of machines (e.g., in watts). In business, it is a financial metric.
EXAMPLE
Die Gesamtleistung des Teams war in diesem Jahr hervorragend.
The team's overall performance was excellent this year.
Typical collocations
When referring to the performance of people or teams, 'Gesamtleistung' (overall performance) is often combined with verbs such as 'bewerten' (to evaluate), 'steigern' (to increase/improve), or 'verbessern' (to improve). Typical adjectives are 'hervorragend' (excellent), 'beeindruckend' (impressive), or 'durchschnittlich' (average).
EXAMPLE
Der Trainer bewertete die Gesamtleistung der Mannschaft als positiv.
The coach evaluated the team's overall performance as positive.
Technical context
In technical descriptions, the total power output is often given with a unit of measurement such as watts (W), kilowatts (kW), or horsepower (PS). It describes the maximum performance capacity of a device or system.
EXAMPLE
Die Gesamtleistung der Solaranlage auf dem Dach beträgt 10 Kilowatt.
The total power output of the solar system on the roof is 10 kilowatts.
Compare with
near_synonym · confusable
Gesamtleistung vs Leistung
performance / output / benefit
'die Leistung' and 'die Gesamtleistung' can both describe what a person, a team, a machine, or a system achieves. 'Leistung' can mean an individual performance or the quality of a result. 'Gesamtleistung' means the sum of all performances or the total technical power output of a system. So the word is more precise when several parts are being considered together. They can be confused because they sound similar and occur in work, sports, or technology contexts. If you mean just one individual result, 'Leistung' is enough. If everything together is meant, 'Gesamtleistung' fits better.
Gesamtleistung
Die Gesamtleistung der Anlage steigt, wenn alle Motoren gleichzeitig laufen.
The system's total power output increases when all the motors run at the same time.
Leistung
Morgen zählt vor allem Noahs Leistung im letzten Prüfungsteil.
Tomorrow, what matters most is Noah's performance in the final part of the exam.