noun

das Buch, ¨-er

book

Ein Gegenstand aus Papier, in dem viele Seiten mit Text oder Bildern zusammengebunden sind, damit man darin lesen kann.

Definition & meaning

Buch means book: a bound or digital collection of written, printed, or illustrated pages.

das Buch — the book
die Bücher — the books

It can also mean:

A volume or work of literature
Ich lese ein interessantes Buch. — “I am reading an interesting book.”
A book in a figurative or specialized sense, such as a ledger, register, or official record:
- das Geschäftsbuch — business ledger
- das Rechnungsbuch — account book
- das Buch der Geschichte — the book of history

Grammar & Word origin

Gender: neuter: das Buch
Plural: die Bücher
Genitive singular: des Buches or des Buchs
Diminutive: das Büchlein — little book or booklet

The plural changes the vowel u to ü: Buch → Bücher. The word comes from Old High German buoh and is related to die Buche , “beech tree.” Early Germanic writing was possibly associated with beechwood tablets.

Buch is also used in many compounds, for example:

das Lehrbuch — textbook
das Wörterbuch — dictionary
das Kochbuch — cookbook
das Bilderbuch — picture book
das E-Book — e-book

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

There is no perfect general synonym for Buch, but several related words apply in specific contexts:

der Band — a volume, especially one part of a larger work or series. It is more specific than Buch.
das Werk — a literary or artistic work; it emphasizes the creation itself rather than the physical book.
die Publikation — publication; a formal or academic term.
das Schriftstück — written document; usually shorter and more administrative than a book.
der Roman — novel; a particular type of book.

Antonyms

There is no direct antonym for Buch. Depending on the intended contrast, one might use:

mündliche Überlieferung [?](vocabuo://word/mündliche Überlieferung) — oral tradition, contrasted with information preserved in writing.
das Hörbuch — audiobook, sometimes contrasted with a printed book, although it is not a true antonym.
die Buchlosigkeit — lack of books or absence of written material; this is uncommon.

Common phrases & collocations

ein Buch lesen — to read a book
ein Buch schreiben — to write a book
ein Buch kaufen — to buy a book
ein Buch veröffentlichen — to publish a book
ein Buch aufschlagen — to open a book
ein Buch durchblättern — to leaf through a book
ein offenes Buch sein [?](vocabuo://word/offenes Buch) — to be an open book, meaning easy to understand
jemanden wie ein offenes Buch lesen [?](vocabuo://word/offenes Buch) — to read someone like an open book
Bücher lesen — to read books
ein Buch über etwas — a book about something