reading / reading material
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reading material
The reading material itself; a text, book, or article that is being read or is intended for reading.
Für den Urlaub habe ich mir eine leichte Lektüre eingepackt.
I packed some light reading material for my vacation.
reading
The act of reading; engaging with a text.
Er war so in die Lektüre des Buches vertieft, dass er die Zeit vergaß.
He was so absorbed in reading the book that he lost track of time.
Be careful: 'die Lektüre' does not mean 'lecture' (a class at a university). It means 'das Lesen' (reading) or 'der Lesestoff' (reading material). A university 'lecture' is called 'die Vorlesung' in German.
Als Lektüre für den Flug habe ich mir einen Krimi gekauft.
I bought a crime novel as reading material for the flight.
You can distinguish the two meanings by how the word is used: when 'Lektüre' refers to the material, it can have a plural and is often described with adjectives such as 'leichte' (light/easy) or 'spannende' (exciting). When it refers to the act of reading, it is always singular and often appears with prepositions such as 'bei der' (while/during) or 'nach der' (after).
Diese Zeitschrift ist eine unterhaltsame Lektüre für zwischendurch.
This magazine is an entertaining read for in between.
'Lektüre' (reading/reading material) is a rather formal or educated-language word. In everyday speech, people would often simply say 'das Buch' (the book) or 'das Lesen' (reading).
Der Professor empfahl uns eine interessante Lektüre zum Thema.
The professor recommended an interesting reading on the topic.
When 'Lektüre' refers to reading material, it is often specified more closely: 'leichte Lektüre' (light reading), 'schwere Lektüre' (difficult reading), or 'die Pflichtlektüre' (required reading, at university or in school).
Goethes „Faust“ ist in vielen deutschen Schulen Pflichtlektüre.
Goethe's 'Faust' is required reading in many German schools.
to read
lesen and die Lektüre both refer to engaging with a text. lesen is the neutral, everyday verb, while die Lektüre frames the activity in a more formal written style and often suggests something somewhat more demanding. Use lesen in ordinary conversation and Lektüre in a more elevated or education-related context.
Die Lektüre des anspruchsvollen Artikels gehört zur Vorbereitung auf das Seminar.
Reading the challenging article is part of preparing for the seminar.
Ich lese den Artikel heute Abend in Ruhe.
I’ll read the article quietly this evening.
