German: Word of the Week - das Handy

Here is Christina with the German word of the week!

This week:
das Handy  /  the cell phone


"Handys" are very popular in Germany just like all over the world, and almost everybody has one. Since word "Handy" sounds English, some Germans assume that it is the correct English word for "cell phone." So, do not be surprised when a German asks you for your "handy number."

Here are some examples of how you can use this word:

Ich habe ein neues Handy gekauft. / I bought a new cell phone.
Ist dein Handy ein Smart Phone? / Is your cell phone a smart phone?
Mein Handy is kaputt. / My cell phone is broken.
Mein Freund spielt immer mit seinem Handy / My boyfriend is always playing with his cell phone.
Er surft mit seinem Handy im Internet. / He surfs the internet with his cell phone.


By the way, the German term "Handy" has nothing to do with the Smurf named "Handy." To avoid confusion, the name of this particular Smurf in German is spelled with an "i": "Handi." You can also call him "Bastelschlumpf" ("handicraft work smurf").

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