Zensur

censorship

noun tsen-ZOOR Rare

Origin: from Latin 'censura'

Usage Note

Zensur means censorship; Article 5 of the German Basic Law explicitly forbids it ('Eine Zensur findet nicht statt'). The term is used in discussions of press freedom both historically and in contemporary contexts.

Examples

"Das Grundgesetz verbietet ausdrücklich jede Form von Zensur."

Natural Translation

The Basic Law explicitly prohibits any form of censorship.

Literal Translation

The Basic-Law forbids expressly any form of censorship.

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

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

GermanNow

German False Friends: 25 Words That Trick You

German false friends like Gift (poison) and bekommen (to receive) trick English speakers daily. Here are 25 words that mean the opposite of what you'd guess.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

German Colors: Names, Shades, and Idioms

German colors are adjectives that take endings — say das rote Auto, not das rot Auto. Get the names, shades, the das-Rot rule, and 14 color idioms.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

GermanNow

Weil vs Denn vs Da: "Because" in German

Weil and da send the verb to the end; denn keeps it in second position. Here's how to pick the right German "because" and place the verb correctly.

June 5, 2026 6 min read