verb

registrieren

Etwas offiziell eintragen oder sich bei einer Stelle anmelden.

Definition & meaning

The verb registrieren has two primary meanings in German:

To record or enter into a list: This refers to the formal process of documenting information in a register, database, or official file. It is commonly used when signing up for a service, reporting a birth or marriage to authorities, or filing data in a technical system.
To notice or perceive: This refers to the mental process of becoming aware of something. It means to consciously pick up on a signal, a change in environment, or a specific detail. For instance, if you notice a slight change in someone's tone of voice, you are "registering" that change.

In a more specialized context, such as music, it can also mean to pull or select the stops on a pipe organ to change the sound quality.

Grammar & Word origin

Registrieren is a regular (weak) verb. Its principal parts are: registriert (present), registrierte (past), and hat registriert (perfect).

The word originates from the Medieval Latin verb "registrare," which means to enter into a register or to record. This itself is derived from "re-gerere," meaning to carry back or to bring back, which evolved into the sense of putting something down in writing for future reference. The ending "-ieren" is a common German suffix for verbs of Latin or French origin.