Method for monitoring a state of at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4) of a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells (1, 2, 3, 4) connected in series or connectable in series, characterised by: placing the battery in a first state, in which the battery cells (1, 2, 3, 4) each have a predefined charge state, during a first phase, discharging the battery which is in the first state during a second phase following on from the first phase, at least one of the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4) achieving a further predefined charge state at the end of the second phase, charging the battery during a third phase following on from the second phase, until a time at which the at least one battery cell (1, 2) of the battery has the predefined charge state, recording the voltage provided by the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4), at least after termination of the discharging which occurs during the second phase and at least after termination of the charging which occurs in the third phase, and detecting the state of the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4) by evaluating the recorded voltage, the evaluation of the recorded voltage including evaluating the voltage captured at least after termination of the discharging which occurs during the second phase and evaluating the voltage recorded at least after termination of the charging which occurs during the third phase, and the detection of the state of the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4) including detecting one of the following three states of battery cells: 1. a state of a highly functional battery cell, which has a high capacitance and no or very low discharge currents, 2. a state of a moderately functional battery cell, which has a low capacitance and no or very low discharge currents, and 3. a state of a potentially dangerous battery cell, which has high discharge currents. placing the battery in a first state, in which the battery cells (1, 2, 3, 4) each have a predefined charge state, during a first phase, discharging the battery which is in the first state during a second phase following on from the first phase, at least one of the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4) achieving a further predefined charge state at the end of the second phase, charging the battery during a third phase following on from the second phase, until a time at which the at least one battery cell (1, 2) of the battery has the predefined charge state, recording the voltage provided by the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4), at least after termination of the discharging which occurs during the second phase and at least after termination of the charging which occurs in the third phase, and detecting the state of the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4) by evaluating the recorded voltage, the evaluation of the recorded voltage including evaluating the voltage captured at least after termination of the discharging which occurs during the second phase and evaluating the voltage recorded at least after termination of the charging which occurs during the third phase, and the detection of the state of the at least one predetermined battery cell (1, 2, 3, 4) including detecting one of the following three states of battery cells: 1. a state of a highly functional battery cell, which has a high capacitance and no or very low discharge currents, 2. a state of a moderately functional battery cell, which has a low capacitance and no or very low discharge currents, and 3. a state of a potentially dangerous battery cell, which has high discharge currents.