German Conversation · Level 27
90 words
German word
Lift
Pronunciation
IPA/lɪft/
Meaning
- masculine nounelevator
Example
Der Lift im Hotel ist kaputt.
The elevator in the hotel is broken.
More examples
Die kurze Liftfahrt erspart uns viele Treppen.
The short elevator ride saves us from climbing many stairs.
Core concept
A mechanical carrier takes passengers or goods upward and downward along a fixed vertical route or slope.
Common phrases
den Lift benutzen
use the elevator
Similar words
Aufzug: A building elevator, often used in formal or written language.
Fahrstuhl: A building elevator commonly heard in everyday speech.
Rolltreppe: A moving staircase that carries people continuously between levels.
Definition in German
Ein mechanisches Gerät, das Personen oder Sachen zwischen Stockwerken nach oben und unten befördert.
Word origin
German Lift comes from English lift and retains the English noun's basic association with raising people or objects.
Usage tips
- For a building elevator, Aufzug is the more broadly used German term, while Lift is also standard in Austria and Switzerland and in ski-lift compounds.
Other meanings
- ski liftnoun
Related words
- Liftfahrtelevator ridenoun