All German word comparisons · Back to the topic overview
Meaning, sentence patterns and examples
| Word | Core meaning | Typical context | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|
| kündigen | give notice; terminate | Contracts, employment and rental arrangements | Regular, inseparable: kündigt, kündigte, hat gekündigt. |
| ankündigen | announce beforehand | Plans, visits, changes and forthcoming events | Regular and separable: kündigt an, kündigte an, hat angekündigt. |
| verkünden | publicly announce; proclaim | Results, decisions and declarations | Regular and inseparable: verkündet, verkündete, hat verkündet. |
kündigen
Meaning and usage: Kündigen expresses an intention to end a contractual relationship. You can kündigen a subscription or, without naming the object, say that you are resigning from your job. If the employer gives someone notice, the person commonly appears in the dative. The verb describes the linguistic action; it does not establish whether a notice is legally effective or which deadlines apply.
Grammar: Regular, inseparable: kündigt, kündigte, hat gekündigt. Einen Vertrag kündigen takes accusative; jemandem kündigen takes dative. The bare verb can describe resigning.
Ich kündige mein Fitnessstudio-Abonnement zum Monatsende.
I am canceling my gym subscription at the end of the month.
Die Mitarbeiterin hat gestern gekündigt.
The employee resigned yesterday.
ankündigen
Meaning and usage: Ankündigen makes something known before or in anticipation of it happening. A company may announce new hours; a guest may announce a visit. Reflexively, it can also mean signal its approach, as when a storm becomes apparent. This is not necessarily a solemn public declaration. A simple message to one colleague can be an Ankündigung.
Grammar: Regular and separable: kündigt an, kündigte an, hat angekündigt. Accusative object or a dass-clause; jemandem etwas ankündigen adds a dative recipient.
Die Schule kündigt für nächste Woche einen Elternabend an.
The school announces a parents’ evening for next week.
verkünden
Meaning and usage: Verkünden is useful for announcing results or decisions to an audience. It often suggests a formal, ceremonial or emphatic announcement, although not every use is solemn. It can also mean announce or foretell something more broadly. The publication context and tone usually distinguish it from an ordinary personal announcement with ankündigen.
Grammar: Regular and inseparable: verkündet, verkündete, hat verkündet. Accusative object or a clause identifying the declared information.
Die Vorsitzende verkündet das Ergebnis der Abstimmung.
The chair announces the result of the vote.
Overlap and context
Ankündigen and verkünden can overlap when a public statement concerns a future event. Their difference often lies in framing and tone. Kündigen has a different central use, even though it belongs to the same broader word family. A Kündigung can itself be angekündigt or publicly mentioned.
Common mistakes
- Do not say Ich kündige meinen Besuch when you simply announce a visit. Use Ich kündige meinen Besuch an.
- Separate an- in the main clause, but keep ver- and the root verb together: kündigt an versus verkündet.
- When translating give someone notice, check the object pattern: jemandem kündigen. That differs from einen Vertrag kündigen.
Memory aid: Kündigen ends an arrangement; an-kündigen announces what is coming; verkünden declares news to others.
Try it
Complete: Das Unternehmen kündigt neue Öffnungszeiten ___?
Show the answer
an
The company announces new hours. Ankündigen is separable; without an, kündigen would suggest termination.