Frequently asked questions

Contents of the Volkswagen Group Dictionary - Sources and data management

The Volkswagen Group Dictionary currently includes entries from the Development and After Sales divisions.
Entries from the Development division are maintained by the organizational unit Terminology and Translation Management. Entries from the After Sales division are maintained by the organizational units Foreign Language Management at Volkswagen and Foreign Language Management After Sales at Audi.
They are used in the translation of owner’s manuals and performance specifications, for example, and are continuously updated and enhanced. This is done selectively for individual entries but also systematically, e.g., in the context of projects with other organizational units or as part of terminology harmonizing processes.

Are the terms in the Volkswagen Group Dictionary for information only or is their use mandatory?

The entries in the Volkswagen Group Dictionary are the result of the following processes:

1. In the Terminology Harmonizing Process (TAP), terms relevant for addressing customers are harmonized across divisions based on specific criteria and jointly approved for use by the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand.
2. In the Development Terminology Harmonizing Process (TE-TAP), terms are harmonized across Development divisions and/or brands based on specific criteria and jointly approved for use within Development.
3. As part of the translation management process of development documentation, workshop information, and owner´s manuals, the language experts from the After Sales and Development divisions create dictionary entries comprising terms, abbreviations, images, and definitions in various languages. These entries are the result of meticulous research and harmonization by language experts that have undergone specific terminology training.

The terms created as part of these processes must be used in order to ensure consistent, legally compliant, unambiguous, and efficient communication.

How often is the Volkswagen Group Dictionary updated?

We are continuously working on our existing entries and adding new ones. Any changes we make or new entries we create are immediately available to all users.

What do I have to bear in mind when using the Volkswagen Group Dictionary?

The search function searches for key words only. If you search for whole sentences or parts of sentences, you will not get results.
The search is "fuzzy" which means that mistyped words will be found, provided they are contained in the dictionary. The fuzzy search ensures that words are also found if they are similar to the word entered in the search field. For example, if you search for socket the dictionary will find not only socket, but also all combinations with socket such as charging socket. It will also find similar word such as sprocket and pocket.

How can I tell where a search result has come from?

The following labels in the top section of an entry show you the division the entry comes from:

Entries from the Development division are labeled TE, while entries from the After Sales division are labeled Aftersales. Entries that have been created jointly by both divisions carry both labels.

Why are some results duplicated?

The glossaries from the Development and After Sales divisions often contain the same words. In the results list, these are listed as separate hits. Just as in the entry itself, the search results have labels indicating the division they come from.

What is the meaning of the labels recommended, not recommended and Corporate Language Volkswagen?

The labels recommended and not recommended show you whether the use of a particular word is recommended for the given language or not.
This helps you chose the best word for the context if several words with the same meaning are shown.

In some entries, you will find a brand-specific recommendation for the Volkswagen and Audi brands. A distinction is made whether the recommended terms are to be used in service and workshop literature or when addressing customers. At this point in time, there are no usage recommendations for other brands of the Volkswagen Group.

All words marked with the Corporate Language Volkswagen label have been jointly approved for use by the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand by Development, Legal and Sales. They must be used when addressing customers and in external communications. This includes, for example, documents for press conferences, web sites, customer literature and sales material.
Not all entries in the Volkswagen Group Dictionary have this label.

Which languages are available in the Volkswagen Group Dictionary?

Besides German, American English, and British English, the Volkswagen Group Dictionary offers terms in many more languages. You can access the complete list of languages when selecting the display languages.

Are all terms available in all selectable languages?

No. Not all languages are available in each dictionary entry. Entries from the Development division, for example, offer terms in German and American English only. Selected entries from the After Sales division, however, offer terms in 45 additional languages. Accordingly, a search for a specific language or a specific term may not return a result.

Why is subject area information given?

Each entry in the Volkswagen Group Dictionary has at least one subject area.

This helps you to decide if the search result is correct in your specific context. This is particularly useful for words which are translated differently in different contexts. For example, the German word Absatz can be translated in English as sales volume, shoulder or step, depending on the context.

Can I use the images from the Volkswagen Group Dictionary for my work?

Yes. You can use the images for internal purposes. If you do so, please make sure to explicitly mention the Volkswagen Group Dictionary as the source and add a link to the respective entry using the entry URL. You can copy this URL to your clipboard using the Copy URL of current entry button.

Who can help me with problems using the Volkswagen Group Dictionary or with content?

If you encounter any technical issues with the Volkswagen Group Dictionary, please write an e-mail to the Sales Application Service Desk or call : +49-5361-9-33130.
For content- or usage-related questions, please write an e-mail to: VWAG R: WOB, VOLKSWAGEN WOERTERBUCH.
For feedback on individual entries, please use the feedback feature in the Volkswagen Group Dictionary.

Last updated: September 2024