German word

Prosa

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈpʁoːza/

Meaning

  • feminine nounprose

Example

Seine Prosa ist kurz und klar.

His prose is short and clear.

Illustration for Prosa (prose)

More examples

Er verfasst Prosa über das Alltagsleben.

He writes prose about everyday life.

Core concept

A steady stream of sentences carries a novel or essay forward in paragraphs, without the measured beat that organizes verse.

Common phrases

  • Prosa verfassen

    write prose

  • knappe Prosa

    concise prose

  • flüssige Prosa

    fluent prose

Similar words

Text: Written material that can be read as a passage, document, or complete work.
Roman: An extended fictional story centered on characters and a sustained plot.
Erzählung: A short narrative that recounts events or experiences in chronological order.
Lyrik: Poetry that uses lines and sound patterns to convey thoughts or feelings.

Definition in German

Prosa bezeichnet fortlaufende Texte in gewöhnlicher Sprache, die nicht an Versmaß gebunden sind, wie Romane oder Essays.

Word origin

German Prosa comes from Latin prosa, a shortened form of prosa oratio meaning 'straightforward speech'.

Usage tips

  • Prosa is feminine in German, so the standard form is die Prosa; it is commonly used without a plural when referring to prose generally.

Opposites

Related words

  • prosaischprosaicadjective
  • Prosaismusprosaicismnoun
  • prosaisierenput into proseverb

Word lists with this word