01
der Gig
gig
A single, usually short live performance by a band or musician, often in a club or at a festival. The term comes from English.
example
Die Band hat am Wochenende einen Gig in Hamburg.
The band has a gig in Hamburg this weekend.
der Gig
gig
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Register and style
'Gig' is a loanword from English and belongs to colloquial language. It is used especially by younger people and in the music or creative scene.
EXAMPLE
Lass uns heute Abend zum Gig von dieser neuen Indie-Band gehen!
Let's go to the gig by this new indie band tonight!
Context clue
You can easily recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about music, bands, or concerts, it means a performance. If the topic is work, projects, or freelancing, it means a short-term job.
EXAMPLE
Die Band spielt ihren nächsten Gig in Berlin.
The band is playing their next gig in Berlin.
Typical collocations
When a musical performance is meant, 'Gig' is often combined with the verbs 'spielen' (to play) or 'haben' (to have).
EXAMPLE
Unsere Band hat am Samstag einen Gig in einem kleinen Club.
Our band has a gig in a small club on Saturday.
Typical collocations
In the meaning of 'short-term job', typical verbs are 'suchen' (to look for), 'bekommen' (to get), 'haben' (to have), or 'annehmen' (to accept).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe einen coolen Gig als Fotograf für eine Hochzeit bekommen.
I got a cool gig as a photographer for a wedding.
Compare with
Gig vs Job
job
'der Job' and 'der Gig' can both mean paid work or an assignment. 'Job' is the normal, general word for a position or a task. 'Gig' is more specific and colloquial: it can mean a single live performance, especially in music, or a short assignment, often in creative or freelance work. Learners may confuse the words because both come from the area of work and are sometimes used for one-off assignments. For a permanent position or work in general, 'Job' is more natural. 'Gig' fits better for a short project, a performance, or freelance work.
Gig
Die Band hatte am Freitag einen kleinen Gig in einem Club.
The band had a small gig in a club on Friday.
Job
Ich suche einen Job mit festen Arbeitszeiten.
I’m looking for a job with fixed working hours.
In real life
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