Empfang

/ˈɛmˌpfaŋ/
reception

Der Empfang im Hotel war sehr freundlich.

The reception at the hotel was very friendly.


neutral

the act of receiving or welcoming someone or something

Der Empfang der Gäste dauerte mehrere Stunden.

The reception of the guests took several hours.

Often used in contexts like hotels, events, or official meetings.

neutral

a social gathering or event to welcome someone

Es gibt einen Empfang für die neuen Mitarbeiter.

There is a reception for the new employees.

Common in business and academic settings.

Technology
technical

the act of receiving a signal, data, or information

Der Empfang des Radiosenders war schwach.

The reception of the radio station was weak.

Used in telecommunications and broadcasting.

Collocations

Empfangshallereception hallEmpfangsbereichreception areaguter Empfanggood receptionschlechter Empfangpoor reception

Pro Tip

Common Collocations

Remember common collocations like 'Empfangshalle' (reception hall) and 'Empfangsbereich' (reception area) to sound more natural in German.

Gold Rule

Gender and Article

'Empfang' is a masculine noun in German, so it always takes the definite article 'der' and indefinite article 'ein'.

Word Origin

From Middle High German 'enpfanc', from Old High German 'infang', from Proto-Germanic '*infangą', equivalent to 'in-' + 'fang' (catch, grasp). Related to English 'receive'.

Usage Notes

In German, 'Empfang' is a masculine noun (der Empfang). It is commonly used in formal and neutral contexts, such as hotels, events, or technical settings like signal reception.

Word Breakdown

Emp-
prefix indicating reception or acceptance
prefix
+
-fang
related to catching or grasping
root
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