German word

Dokumentarfilm

Pronunciation

IPA/dokumɛnˈtaːɐ̯ˌfɪlm/

Meaning

  • masculine noundocumentary

Example

Ich sehe gern Dokumentarfilme im Fernsehen.

I like watching documentaries on TV.

Illustration for Dokumentarfilm (documentary)

More examples

Viele Dokumentarfilme behandeln aktuelle Themen.

Many documentaries deal with current topics.

Core concept

A camera follows real people, places, or events and arranges the footage into a factual record.

Common phrases

  • Dokumentarfilme im Fernsehen sehen

    watch documentaries on television

  • einen Dokumentarfilm drehen

    film a documentary

  • ein Dokumentarfilm über die Natur

    a documentary about nature

Similar words

Doku: An informal short name for a documentary, common in conversation and listings.
Dokumentation: A work that records and organizes events or source material in film or writing.
Reportage: A broadcast or article based on on-site reporting of events or conditions.
Film: A visual work that presents a story or recorded material.

Definition in German

Dokumentarfilm bezeichnet einen Film, der tatsächliche Ereignisse oder Personen ohne fiktionale Handlung sachlich zeigt und Informationswert hat.

Word origin

Dokumentarfilm combines German Dokumentar, from Latin documentum meaning evidence or record, with Film, borrowed from English film.

Usage tips

  • Dokumentarfilm is masculine, with the plural Dokumentarfilme, and the common informal shortening is Doku.

Opposites

Related words

  • Dokumentarfilmerdocumentary filmmakernoun
  • Dokumentarfilmfestivaldocumentary film festivalnoun
  • dokumentarischdocumentaryadjective

Word lists with this word