01
die Zelle
cell
The smallest living unit of an organism. All living beings, from plants to animals to humans, consist of cells.
example
Der menschliche Körper besteht aus Milliarden von Zellen.
The human body consists of billions of cells.
die Zelle
cell
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Meanings
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Usage tips
A shared root
The word 'Zelle' (cell) comes from the Latin 'cella', meaning 'small chamber' or 'enclosed space'. This basic idea connects the different meanings: a small room in a prison, the smallest unit in the body, or a field in a spreadsheet.
EXAMPLE
Ob im Kloster oder im Körper, eine Zelle ist immer eine kleine, grundlegende Einheit.
Whether in a monastery or in the body, a cell is always a small, basic unit.
Context clues
You can easily recognize the meaning of 'Zelle' (cell) from the context. Words like 'Körper' (body) or 'Biologie' (biology) point to the biological unit, 'Gefängnis' (prison) or 'Häftling' (prisoner) to the room, and 'Tabelle' (table/spreadsheet) or 'Excel' to the field in a spreadsheet.
EXAMPLE
Die Polizei überwachte die verdächtige Zelle seit Wochen.
The police had been monitoring the suspicious cell for weeks.
Biological context
In biology, 'Zelle' (cell) is often combined with specific types. Common examples are 'Nervenzelle' (nerve cell), 'Stammzelle' (stem cell), 'Krebszelle' (cancer cell), or 'Blutzelle' (blood cell).
EXAMPLE
Stammzellen haben die Fähigkeit, sich in verschiedene Zelltypen zu entwickeln.
Stem cells have the ability to develop into different cell types.
In prison
In connection with prisons, 'Zelle' (cell) is often used with verbs such as 'sitzen' (to sit/be imprisoned), 'einsperren' (to lock up), or 'verbringen' (to spend). A common fixed expression is 'in einer Einzelzelle sitzen' (to be in a solitary cell).
EXAMPLE
Der Gefangene wurde in eine Hochsicherheitszelle verlegt.
The prisoner was moved to a high-security cell.
Political groups
When 'Zelle' (cell) describes a secret group, typical verbs are 'eine Zelle bilden' (to form a cell) or 'eine Zelle ausheben' (to uncover/bust a cell). The word is often specified by adjectives such as 'terroristisch' (terrorist) or 'konspirativ' (conspiratorial).
EXAMPLE
Den Ermittlern gelang es, die Zelle zu zerschlagen.
The investigators managed to break up the cell.
In the spreadsheet
In spreadsheets, a cell is identified by the combination of a column letter and a row number. Typical verbs are 'eine Zelle markieren' (to select a cell), 'etwas in eine Zelle eingeben' (to enter something into a cell), or 'den Wert einer Zelle berechnen' (to calculate the value of a cell).
EXAMPLE
Die Summe wird automatisch in Zelle D10 angezeigt.
The sum is displayed automatically in cell D10.
Compare with
Zelle vs Gruppe
group
'die Gruppe' and 'die Zelle' can both refer to several people who work together. 'Gruppe' is the neutral and general word. It fits for friends, students, colleagues, or things that belong together. 'Zelle' is used much more specifically in this sense: it means a small, often secret group within a larger organization. The word occurs especially in political or dangerous contexts. Learners may confuse the words because a cell is also a kind of group. But not every group is a cell.
Zelle
Die Polizei sucht nach einer geheimen Zelle innerhalb der Organisation.
The police are looking for a secret cell within the organization.
Gruppe
Für das Projekt arbeitet Lisa mit einer kleinen Gruppe aus ihrer Klasse.
For the project, Lisa is working with a small group from her class.
In real life
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