01
das Karate
karate
An unarmed martial art originating in Japan, in which striking, thrusting, kicking, and blocking techniques are used above all.
example
Mein Sohn geht zweimal pro Woche zum Karate.
My son goes to karate twice a week.
das Karate
karate
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Meanings
Usage tips
Use without an article
When talking about karate as an activity or sport, the word is often used without an article. This is typical after verbs like 'machen' (to do), 'trainieren' (to train/practice), or 'lernen' (to learn).
EXAMPLE
Sie macht seit drei Jahren Karate.
She has been doing karate for three years.
Typical verbs
Common verbs used with 'Karate' (karate) are 'machen' (to do), 'trainieren' (to train/practice), and 'üben' (to practice). To express that you go to training, you say 'zum Karate gehen' (to go to karate).
EXAMPLE
Er trainiert Karate, um sich selbst verteidigen zu können.
He trains in karate so he can defend himself.
Fixed expression
A well-known expression is 'den schwarzen Gürtel in Karate haben' (to have a black belt in karate). It means that someone has reached the highest level in this martial art.
EXAMPLE
Sein Trainer hat den schwarzen Gürtel in Karate.
His trainer has a black belt in karate.
Compare with
Karate vs Judo
judo
'das Karate' and 'das Judo' are both Japanese martial arts and can therefore easily be confused. The most important difference lies in the techniques. Karate is mainly about punches, kicks, thrusts, and blocking movements. Judo is more about throwing the opponent, holding them down, or controlling them with joint locks. So if you are talking about kicking and striking, 'Karate' fits better. If it is about throws and holds, 'Judo' is more precise.
Karate
Morgen übt sie im Kurs neue Tritte für das Karate.
Tomorrow she will practice new kicks for karate in the course.
Judo
Beim Judo lernen wir, wie man einen Gegner sicher zu Boden wirft.
In judo, we learn how to throw an opponent safely to the ground.
In real life
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