telegram
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telegram
A short message transmitted by telegraph and usually delivered in printed form. This form of communication is now historical and has been replaced by modern technologies.
Zur Hochzeit schickten die Verwandten aus Übersee ein Telegramm mit ihren Glückwünschen.
For the wedding, the relatives from overseas sent a telegram with their congratulations.
'Telegramm' (telegram) is an international word from Greek. 'Tele-' means 'far' and '-gramm' means 'something written.' So a telegram is literally a 'distant writing.'
Früher war das Telegramm die schnellste Art, eine schriftliche Nachricht über weite Strecken zu senden.
In the past, the telegram was the fastest way to send a written message over long distances.
Certain verbs are used in connection with telegrams: you can 'aufgeben' (send/submit, at the post office), 'schicken' (send), 'senden' (send), or 'erhalten' (receive) a telegram.
Er gab ein Telegramm auf, um seiner Familie seine Ankunft mitzuteilen.
He sent a telegram to inform his family of his arrival.
Telegrams were expensive because you paid per word. This led to the development of 'Telegrammstil' (telegram style): very short language without articles or filler words, often with 'STOPP' instead of a period.
Im Telegrammstil würde man schreiben: „ANKOMME MORGEN 15 UHR STOPP BAHNHOf“.
In telegram style, one would write: 'ARRIVE TOMORROW 3 PM STOP STATION.'
Careful: the German word 'das Telegramm' (the telegram) refers to the historical message service. It is not used for a message sent with the modern messenger app 'Telegram.'
Mein Großvater hat noch das Telegramm zur Geburt meines Vaters aufbewahrt.
My grandfather still kept the telegram announcing my father's birth.
message / news
'die Nachricht' and 'das Telegramm' can both be a short message to a person. 'Nachricht' is the normal word for information that you receive today, for example by phone, email, or orally. 'Telegramm' refers to a special, old form of transmission by telegraph. Today the word sounds historical or fits texts about earlier times. Learners may confuse the words because a 'Telegramm' is also a 'Nachricht'. In everyday life, however, people almost always say 'Nachricht'.
Im alten Familienalbum lag ein Telegramm von 1952.
In the old family album, there was a telegram from 1952.
Schickst du mir nach dem Termin eine kurze Nachricht?
Will you send me a short message after the appointment?