To put a plan, concept, policy, or idea into practice; to realize or introduce something. The term is frequently used in business, politics, and project management.
example
Die Regierung plant, die neuen Steuergesetze im nächsten Jahr zu implementieren.
The government plans to implement the new tax laws next year.
Usage tips
Word structure
The verb ends in '-ieren'. This is a typical sign of words borrowed from other languages, often Latin or English. These verbs are almost always regular and form the perfect tense with 'haben' (to have).
EXAMPLE
Die Firma hat die neue Software bereits implementiert.
The company has already implemented the new software.
Register and style
'Implementieren' (to implement) is a formal word from specialized language, especially politics, business, and IT. It sounds professional and is mainly used in written or formal contexts.
EXAMPLE
Im nächsten Quartal werden wir die neue Marketingstrategie implementieren.
In the next quarter, we will implement the new marketing strategy.
Sentence structure and usage
The verb 'implementieren' (to implement) always requires an accusative object. You always implement something.
EXAMPLE
Die Entwickler implementieren gerade eine neue Funktion.
The developers are currently implementing a new feature.
Typical collocations
In politics and business, the word is often combined with abstract nouns such as 'Plan' (plan), 'Strategie' (strategy), 'Konzept' (concept), or 'Maßnahmen' (measures).
EXAMPLE
Es ist oft schwierig, politische Beschlüsse schnell zu implementieren.
It is often difficult to implement political decisions quickly.
Context: computer science
In an IT context, you can recognize this meaning from words such as 'Software' (software), 'Code' (code), 'Algorithmus' (algorithm), or 'Funktion' (function). Here it means turning an idea into a functioning program.
EXAMPLE
Der Programmierer muss den Algorithmus in Java implementieren.
The programmer has to implement the algorithm in Java.
Compare with
near_synonym · confusable
implementieren vs entwickeln
to develop
'entwickeln' and 'implementieren' can both fit with projects, ideas, or software. 'entwickeln' means to create and work out something new step by step, for example a product, an idea, or software. 'implementieren' means to put a plan, concept, or design into practice, or to realize it technically in code. The words are often confused because they can occur in the same project. Often, you first develop an idea or solution, then implement it. With software, 'entwickeln' can refer to the whole creation process, while 'implementieren' is more about the concrete technical realization.
implementieren
Nach dem Test implementiert das Team die neue Funktion im System.
After the test, the team implements the new function in the system.
entwickeln
Meine Kollegin entwickelt für das Projekt eine neue App.
My colleague is developing a new app for the project.