The science that deals with the empirical and theoretical study of human coexistence, society, its structures, and its developments.
example
Er studiert Soziologie im Hauptfach an der Universität.
He is majoring in sociology at the university.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Soziologie' (sociology) is an international word. It is made up of 'Sozio-' (from Latin 'socius' meaning 'companion' or 'society') and '-logie' (from Greek 'logos' meaning 'teaching' or 'study'). This pattern appears in many names of sciences, such as 'Biologie' (biology) or 'Psychologie' (psychology).
EXAMPLE
Die Psychologie beschäftigt sich mit dem menschlichen Erleben und Verhalten.
Psychology deals with human experience and behavior.
Word family
The word family includes the person ('der Soziologe' / 'die Soziologin' — sociologist) and the adjective ('soziologisch' — sociological). When you learn the noun, it's best to learn the whole family along with it.
EXAMPLE
Eine bekannte Soziologin hält morgen einen Vortrag.
A well-known sociologist is giving a lecture tomorrow.
Typical collocations
As the name of an academic discipline, 'Soziologie' (sociology) is very often used in academic contexts. Typical combinations are 'Soziologie studieren' (to study sociology), 'ein Professor für Soziologie' (a professor of sociology), or 'eine Studie aus der Soziologie' (a study from the field of sociology).
EXAMPLE
Meine Schwester hat sich für den Master in Soziologie beworben.
My sister applied for the master's program in sociology.
Compare with
confusable
Soziologie vs Psychologie
psychology
'Psychologie' and 'Soziologie' are both sciences about people, but they look at different things. 'Psychologie' is more concerned with how individual people feel, think, learn, or act. 'Soziologie' focuses more on groups, society, living together, and social structures. The words can be confused because both study human behavior. A simple guide is: if it is about the inner world or behavior of a person, 'Psychologie' fits. If it is about society, groups, or social rules, 'Soziologie' fits.
Soziologie
In der Soziologie untersucht man, wie Menschen in einer Stadt zusammenleben.
In sociology, people study how people live together in a city.
Psychologie
Im Studium der Psychologie lernt Anna viel über Angst, Motivation und Lernen.
In her psychology studies, Anna learns a lot about fear, motivation, and learning.