01
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
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Meanings
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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
Quelle vs Grund
reason / ground
'der Grund' and 'die Quelle' can both point to the origin of something. 'der Grund' usually names why something happens or why someone does something. 'die Quelle' is more about where something comes from or what causes something to arise. With problems, feelings, or information, this can seem similar. You can confuse them when talking about the cause of something. More natural is: 'Grund' for a decision or behavior, and 'Quelle' for the origin of something, for example stress, noise, or information.
Quelle
Die Ärztin suchte nach der Quelle der starken Schmerzen.
The doctor looked for the source of the severe pain.
Grund
Der Grund für ihre Verspätung war ein langer Stau auf der Autobahn.
The reason for her delay was a long traffic jam on the highway.
In real life
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