die Quelle
source
A place where information can be found, e.g. a book, an article, or a person.
EXAMPLE
Für seine Abschlussarbeit musste er viele wissenschaftliche Quellen zitieren.
For his thesis, he had to cite many academic sources.
die Quelle
source
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
die Quelle
spring / source
The place where water comes out of the ground; the origin of a stream or river.
EXAMPLE
Das Wasser aus dieser Bergquelle ist besonders klar und rein.
The water from this mountain spring is especially clear and pure.
die Quelle
source
The origin or cause of something.
EXAMPLE
Lärm ist eine häufige Quelle für Stress am Arbeitsplatz.
Noise is a common source of stress in the workplace.
die Quelle
source
Something that provides energy, such as a battery, the sun, or a power plant.
EXAMPLE
Solarenergie ist eine nachhaltige und saubere Energiequelle.
Solar energy is a sustainable and clean source of energy.
die Quelle
source code
In computer science, the source text or source code of a computer program.
EXAMPLE
Der Programmierer hat einen Fehler in der Quelle des Programms gefunden.
The programmer found an error in the program's source code.
Usage tips
The basic concept
All meanings of 'Quelle' (source) share a common idea: it is the origin or beginning of something. That can be the beginning of a river, a piece of information, or a problem.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen die Quelle des Problems finden.
We have to find the source of the problem.
Context clues
You can easily recognize the exact meaning of 'Quelle' (source) from context. Words like 'Wasser' (water) or 'Berg' (mountain) point to the origin of a river, while 'Buch' (book) or 'Artikel' (article) refer to a source of information.
EXAMPLE
Das Wasser aus dieser Bergquelle ist sehr kalt.
The water from this mountain spring is very cold.
Typical collocations
In academic or journalistic contexts, a source is often 'angegeben' (given/cited), 'zitiert' (quoted/cited), or 'geprüft' (checked). A good source is 'zuverlässig' (reliable) or 'seriös' (reputable).
EXAMPLE
Der Journalist nannte eine anonyme Quelle aus dem Ministerium.
The journalist named an anonymous source from the ministry.
Preposition 'für'
When 'Quelle' (source) describes the cause of a feeling or state, the preposition 'für' (for) is often used. One thing is then the source of something.
EXAMPLE
Seine Kinder sind für ihn eine unerschöpfliche Quelle der Freude.
His children are an inexhaustible source of joy for him.
Technical language: computer science
In computer science, 'Quelle' (source) or 'Quellcode' (source code) is used as a technical term for the readable text of a computer program. This meaning is uncommon outside the IT industry.
EXAMPLE
Der Entwickler muss den Fehler im Quelltext beheben.
The developer has to fix the error in the source code.
Compare with
MutterLiteraturUrsacheUrsprungBrunnenBelegSourceInsiderInformantEnergieträgerReservoirFundstelleInformationsquelle
Quelle vs Mutter
mother / nut
Both words can refer to the source or trigger of something. “Die Mutter” is a figurative, often personifying expression, while “die Quelle” sounds more neutral and factual. Use “Mutter” for a strong rhetorical effect and “Quelle” for a matter-of-fact statement.
Quelle
Der Hass war die Quelle vieler späterer Konflikte.
Hatred was the source of many later conflicts.
Mutter
Der Hass gilt als die Mutter vieler späterer Konflikte.
Hatred is considered the mother of many later conflicts.
In real life
Loading video examples...