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The final, often calm and pleasant phase of an event, a day, or an experience.
Der gemütliche Ausklang des Abends fand bei einem Glas Wein an der Hotelbar statt.
The cozy close of the evening took place over a glass of wine at the hotel bar.
The word consists of 'aus' (out) and 'Klang' (sound). Literally, it describes the 'Ausklingen' (fading away) or becoming quieter of a sound. This idea is transferred to the calm ending of an event or a day.
Der Ausklang des Konzerts war ein leises Klavierstück.
The close of the concert was a quiet piano piece.
When referring to the end of an event, 'Ausklang' (close) is often combined with adjectives such as 'gemütlich' (cozy), 'harmonisch' (harmonious), or 'gelungen' (successful). Most often, it refers to the 'Ausklang des Abends' (close of the evening), 'des Tages' (of the day), or 'der Feier' (of the celebration).
Wir erlebten einen harmonischen Ausklang des Festes am Lagerfeuer.
We experienced a harmonious close to the festival around the campfire.
You can easily recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about music, instruments, or sounds, it means the fading away of a tone. If it is about events, celebrations, or the course of the day, it means the final, calm phase.
Der Pianist nutzte den langen Ausklang des Akkords für eine dramatische Pause.
The pianist used the long fade-out of the chord for a dramatic pause.
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'das Ende' and 'der Ausklang' both have to do with the final phase of something. 'das Ende' is neutral and only says that something stops or that the last part has been reached. 'der Ausklang' describes more of a quiet, often pleasant closing phase, for example at the end of a day or a celebration. In music, 'Ausklang' also means that a note gradually gets quieter and fades away. If only the conclusion matters, 'Ende' fits. If the mood of the final phase matters, 'Ausklang' sounds more natural.
Als Ausklang des Tages tranken wir auf dem Balkon noch einen Tee.
To close the day, we had a cup of tea on the balcony.
Zum Ende der Besprechung stellte Herr Kaya noch eine wichtige Frage.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. Kaya asked another important question.