01
der Abschied
farewell
The act or moment of saying goodbye when leaving a place or a person.
example
Der Abschied am Bahnhof fiel ihnen sehr schwer.
The farewell at the train station was very hard for them.
der Abschied
farewell / departure
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Abschied' comes from the old verb 'scheiden', which means 'to separate'. The prefix 'ab-' strengthens the idea of separation. So an 'Abschied' is literally the moment of separation.
EXAMPLE
Der Abschied von seiner Familie fiel ihm nicht leicht.
The farewell from his family was not easy for him.
Word family
'Der Abschied' is the noun form of the verb 'sich verabschieden' (to say goodbye). When you say goodbye to someone, this moment is the 'Abschied' (farewell).
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen uns jetzt leider verabschieden.
Unfortunately, we have to say goodbye now.
Typical collocations
To describe the emotions involved, 'Abschied' is often combined with adjectives such as 'schwer' (hard), 'leicht' (easy), 'herzlich' (warm/cordial), or 'tränenreich' (tearful).
EXAMPLE
Es war ein sehr herzlicher Abschied unter Freunden.
It was a very warm farewell among friends.
Fixed expression
The expression 'Abschied nehmen von + dative' (to say goodbye to) is very common. It emphasizes the conscious, active process of saying goodbye, often to something abstract like an idea or habit.
EXAMPLE
Er musste von dem Gedanken Abschied nehmen, jemals reich zu werden.
He had to say goodbye to the idea of ever becoming rich.
Typical collocations
In a professional context, 'Abschied' is often used with the prepositions 'aus' (from) or 'in' (into): 'der Abschied aus dem Amt' (leaving office) or 'der Abschied in den Ruhestand' (retirement).
EXAMPLE
Die Firma organisierte eine große Feier für seinen Abschied in den Ruhestand.
The company organized a big celebration for his departure into retirement.
Compare with
Abschied vs Trennung
separation
'die Trennung' and 'der Abschied' can both mean that people are no longer together or are going away. The difference lies in the focus. 'Abschied' is the moment or deliberate act of saying goodbye. This can be brief, for example at a train station, or emotional, when a phase of life ends. 'Trennung' is more about a lasting separation or being separated, especially in relationships or with things. You can say goodbye during an 'Abschied', but a 'Trennung' often changes the situation in the longer term.
Abschied
Am Bahnhof fiel ihm der Abschied von seiner Familie schwer.
At the train station, saying goodbye to his family was hard for him.
Trennung
Nach der Trennung zog sie in eine kleinere Wohnung.
After the separation, she moved into a smaller apartment.
In real life
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