Deutsch · A2 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Phones and technology
Talk about passwords, files, links, charging, and online actions.
Understand the choice
Digital tasks depend on directional prefixes. Herunterladen brings data down, hochladen sends it up, speichern saves it, and aufladen replenishes a device. Track both object case and prefix position.
Core rule: Herunterladen and aufladen separate in main clauses; schicken can take dative recipient plus accusative object.
Notice it in context
Ich lade die Datei herunter und schicke dir den Link.
I download the file and send you the link.
Lade…herunter brackets Datei; dir is dative recipient before accusative Link.
Ich habe mein Passwort vergessen und kann die Nachricht nicht öffnen.
I forgot my password and cannot open the message.
Passwort and Nachricht identify the access problem.
Der Bildschirm bleibt schwarz, obwohl ich das Handy auflade.
The screen stays black although I charge the phone.
Bildschirm is the symptom; auflade stays joined at subordinate-clause end.
What to remember
- Das Handy is the ordinary German word for mobile phone.
- Speichern is save; sichern can mean secure or back up.
Common trap: Do not say downloaden in formal learning contexts when herunterladen supplies a clear German verb, though both occur.