Division is one of the four basic arithmetic operations and is used to split a number into equal parts or groups.
Key Division Vocabulary
The following table summarizes the most important division-related vocabulary in German, along with example sentences to show how each word is used.
| German Word | English Translation | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) | Usage Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| die Division | division | Die Division ist eine der Grundrechenarten. | Division is one of the basic arithmetic operations. | General term for division. |
| dividieren | to divide | Man kann 20 durch 4 dividieren. | You can divide 20 by 4. | Verb used for division. |
| teilen | to share/divide | Ich teile den Kuchen in acht Stücke. | I divide the cake into eight pieces. | Commonly used for dividing or sharing. |
| der Dividend | dividend | Der Dividend ist 20. | The dividend is 20. | The number being divided. |
| der Divisor | divisor | Der Divisor ist 4. | The divisor is 4. | The number you divide by. |
| der Quotient | quotient | Der Quotient von 20 und 4 ist 5. | The quotient of 20 and 4 is 5. | The result of division. |
| der Rest | remainder | Beim Teilen bleibt ein Rest von 1. | There is a remainder of 1 after dividing. | The leftover part after division. |
| durch | divided by | geteilt durch 4 ergibt 5. | divided by 4 equals 5. | Used to express division in phrases. |
| gleich | equals | geteilt durch 4 ist gleich 5. | divided by 4 equals 5. | Indicates equality, like = in math. |
| der Bruch | fraction | /2 ist ein Bruch. | /2 is a fraction. | Represents a part of a whole. |
How to Talk About Division in German
Here are some common phrases and sentence structures for discussing division.
| German Phrase | English Translation | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) | Usage Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ... geteilt durch ... | ... divided by ... | geteilt durch 4 ist 5. | divided by 4 is 5. | Standard way to say division. |
| ... dividiert durch ... | ... divided by ... | dividiert durch 6 ergibt 5. | divided by 6 equals 5. | More formal/scientific. |
| ... in ... Teile teilen | ... divide into ... parts | Teile 10 in 5 Teile. | Divide 10 into 5 parts. | Used for dividing into parts. |
| ... aufteilen | ... distribute/share out | Ich teile die Äpfel auf. | I’m dividing/sharing out the apples. | More general, can mean distribute. |
| einen Rest haben | to have a remainder | geteilt durch 2 hat einen Rest von 1. | divided by 2 has a remainder of 1. | Used when division isn’t exact. |
| den Quotienten berechnen | to calculate the quotient | Berechne den Quotienten von 15 und 3. | Calculate the quotient of 15 and 3. | Formal/math context. |
Example Sentences
Finally, here are some complete example sentences that show division vocabulary in context.
| German Sentence | English Translation | German Analysis | English Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
| geteilt durch 4 ist 5. | divided by 4 is 5. | Simple division statement using „geteilt durch“ and „ist“. | Straightforward math sentence. |
| Teile 12 in 3 gleiche Teile. | Divide 12 into 3 equal parts. | Uses imperative „Teile“ and „in ... Teile“. | Command to divide something. |
| Der Quotient von 30 und 5 ist 6. | The quotient of 30 and 5 is 6. | Uses „der Quotient von ... und ...“ for formal math. | Formal way to state division result. |
| Beim Teilen von 7 durch 2 bleibt ein Rest. | When dividing 7 by 2, there is a remainder. | Describes situation with a remainder using „bleibt ein Rest“. | Explains division with leftover. |
| Dividiere 45 durch 9 und schreibe das Ergebnis auf. | Divide 45 by 9 and write down the result. | Imperative „Dividiere ... durch ...“ plus instructions. | Formal instruction for division. |
| geteilt durch 4 ergibt 3 mit einem Rest von 3. | divided by 4 equals 3 with a remainder of 3. | Compound sentence showing quotient and remainder. | Common way to describe division with leftover. |
You should now have a good foundation for talking about division in German, including the most important vocabulary and useful sentence structures.
Translate to German: 'Divide 45 by 9 and write down the result.'
Dividiere 45 durch 9 und schreibe das Ergebnis auf.
'Dividiere ... durch ...' is a formal imperative for division, and 'schreibe das Ergebnis auf' means to write down the result.
Translate to German: '20 divided by 4 is 5.'
20 geteilt durch 4 ist 5.
'20 geteilt durch 4 ist 5' is the correct way to express this division in German.
Flashcards (1 of 22)
- Usage Notes: General term for division.
- English Translation: division
- Example Sentence (English): Division is one of the basic arithmetic operations.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
