contact
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contact
The process of getting in touch with someone or an institution, or of beginning communication.
Die Kontaktaufnahme mit dem Kundenservice per Telefon war leider erfolglos.
Contacting customer service by phone was unfortunately unsuccessful.
The word is made up of 'Kontakt' (contact) and 'Aufnahme' (taking up/recording). 'Aufnahme' is derived from the verb 'aufnehmen' (to take up/record). A 'Kontaktaufnahme' (contacting/getting in touch) is therefore literally the act of establishing contact.
Die Kontaktaufnahme zu alten Schulfreunden kann sehr schön sein.
Getting in touch with old school friends can be very nice.
To say whom you are contacting, the preposition 'mit' (with) followed by the dative is used.
Für eine schnelle Antwort empfiehlt sich die Kontaktaufnahme mit der Zentrale.
For a quick answer, contacting the central office is recommended.
'Kontaktaufnahme' (contacting/getting in touch) is a rather formal word. It is often used in business, official, or technical contexts.
Bitte bestätigen Sie die Kontaktaufnahme per E-Mail.
Please confirm the contact by email.
connection / association
'sich in Verbindung setzen mit' and 'die Kontaktaufnahme' both belong to the beginning of contact. With 'sich in Verbindung setzen', the action is in the sentence: someone gets in touch with a person or organization. 'Kontaktaufnahme' is a noun and sounds somewhat more factual or official. It describes the process itself, for example in emails, applications, or forms. The words can be confused because they refer to almost the same situation. In everyday language, people often say 'Ich setze mich mit ihr in Verbindung' (I’ll get in touch with her). In more formal texts, 'die Kontaktaufnahme' sounds more natural.
Die Kontaktaufnahme mit dem Amt war per E-Mail möglich.
Contacting the office was possible by email.
Nach dem Gespräch setzt sich Lisa mit der Ärztin in Verbindung.
After the conversation, Lisa gets in touch with the doctor.