to save / store
Loading your saved state.
to save
To save digital data on a computer or storage medium (e.g., hard drive, cloud) so that it is available again later.
Bitte vergiss nicht, das Dokument zu speichern, bevor du den Computer ausschaltest.
Please don't forget to save the document before you turn off the computer.
to store
To accumulate something (e.g., energy, water, goods) and keep it for later use.
Kakteen können in ihren Stämmen große Mengen Wasser speichern.
Cacti can store large amounts of water in their stems.
to store
To keep information, impressions, or experiences in one's memory.
Er hat jedes Detail des Unfalls in seinem Gedächtnis gespeichert.
He stored every detail of the accident in his memory.
The verb 'speichern' (to save/store) belongs to the noun 'der Speicher' (storage/memory/attic). A Speicher is a place or device where something is kept, for example data storage or the attic of a house.
Der Speicher meines Handys ist fast voll.
My phone's storage is almost full.
You can easily recognize which meaning 'speichern' (to save/store) has from the object of the sentence. 'Daten' (data) or 'ein Dokument' (a document) point to the digital meaning, 'Energie' (energy) or 'Wärme' (heat) to the physical meaning, and 'im Gedächtnis' (in memory) to the mental meaning.
Moderne Batterien können viel Strom speichern.
Modern batteries can store a lot of electricity.
In a digital context, 'speichern' (to save) is often combined with 'eine Datei' (a file), 'ein Dokument' (a document), 'Fotos' (photos), or 'Daten' (data). To indicate the location, the preposition 'auf' (on) with the dative is often used.
Ich speichere meine Fotos immer auf einer externen Festplatte.
I always save my photos on an external hard drive.
In the meaning of accumulating or keeping something, 'speichern' (to store) is often used in biological or technical contexts. It describes a natural or technical process.
Pflanzen speichern Energie aus dem Sonnenlicht durch Fotosynthese.
Plants store energy from sunlight through photosynthesis.
to keep
Behalten and speichern can both mean that information remains in one’s memory. Behalten emphasizes not forgetting it, while speichern figuratively highlights the process of storing it in the mind. Use behalten for remembering and speichern when mental storage is the focus.
Ich habe mir die wichtige Telefonnummer im Gedächtnis gespeichert.
I have stored the important phone number in my memory.
Ich möchte mir die wichtige Telefonnummer behalten.
I want to remember the important phone number.
