01
das Selfie
selfie
A self-portrait typically taken at arm's length with a smartphone or digital camera.
example
Sie machte schnell ein Selfie vor der berühmten Sehenswürdigkeit.
She quickly took a selfie in front of the famous landmark.
das Selfie
selfie
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Meanings
Usage tips
Origin of the word
'Selfie' is a modern loanword from English. It has spread worldwide through social media and is used the same way in German.
EXAMPLE
Auf ihrem Profil postet sie jeden Tag ein neues Selfie.
She posts a new selfie on her profile every day.
Use in compounds
As a modern and common word, 'Selfie' is often the first part of new compound nouns. Well-known examples are der Selfie-Stick (selfie stick) or die Selfie-Kamera (selfie camera).
EXAMPLE
Ohne einen Selfie-Stick ist es schwer, die ganze Gruppe aufs Bild zu bekommen.
Without a selfie stick, it's hard to get the whole group in the picture.
Typical collocation
The word 'Selfie' is almost always used with the verb 'machen' (to make/take). The fixed phrase is 'ein Selfie machen' (to take a selfie).
EXAMPLE
Lass uns schnell ein Selfie zusammen machen!
Let's quickly take a selfie together!
Compare with
Selfie vs Porträt
portrait
'das Porträt' and 'das Selfie' can both be a picture of a person. A 'Porträt' is more general and is often deliberately composed, for example by a photographer, an artist, or in a museum. It usually shows one person, especially the face. A 'Selfie' is normally taken by the person themselves, often with a smartphone and from close range. The words can be confused because a selfie is also a kind of self-portrait. In everyday language, however, people say 'Selfie' when someone takes the photo themselves. 'Porträt' fits better for artistic, professional, or descriptive representations.
Selfie
Im Park macht mein Kollege ein Selfie mit seiner Schwester.
In the park, my colleague takes a selfie with his sister.
Porträt
Jan braucht für die Bewerbung ein professionelles Porträt.
Jan needs a professional portrait for his application.
In real life
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