Hertz

hertz (Hz, unit of frequency)

noun HERTS Rare

Origin: named after physicist Heinrich Hertz

Usage Note

Hertz (Hz) = cycles per second; the SI unit of frequency. Used for electrical current (50 Hz in Europe), sound, and wireless signals (Kilohertz, Megahertz, Gigahertz). Invariable plural.

Examples

"Das Stromnetz in Deutschland arbeitet mit einer Frequenz von 50 Hertz."

Natural Translation

The power grid in Germany operates at a frequency of 50 hertz.

Literal Translation

The power-net in Germany works with a frequency of 50 hertz.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

Wo, Wohin, Woher: Three Ways to Say Where

German splits where into three: wo (location), wohin (destination), and woher (origin). Learn the wo vs wohin rule, the hin/her logic, and common mistakes.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Compound Words: How to Read Any Long Word

Read any long German word by working right-to-left: the last noun sets the meaning and gender, and the small linking letters are just glue. Here's the drill.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Two-Way Prepositions: Accusative or Dative?

Use accusative for movement into a place (wohin?) and dative for a fixed location (wo?). Master all nine German two-way prepositions with one simple test.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Greetings by Region: Grüß Gott to Grüezi

German greetings change by region: say Moin in Hamburg, Grüß Gott in Bavaria, Grüezi in Switzerland. A map of every hello and goodbye, plus du vs. Sie.

June 5, 2026 6 min read