der Band
volume
A single book, especially as part of a multi-part series or a collection of works.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe alle drei Bände der Trilogie gelesen.
I read all three volumes of the trilogy.
der Band
volume
der Band, die Bände
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Meanings
der Band
binding
The binding or cover of a book. This meaning is rather technical or old-fashioned.
EXAMPLE
Der lederne Band des alten Buches war reich verziert.
The leather binding of the old book was richly decorated.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Band, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Bände |
| genitive | des Bandes |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Band | die Bände |
| accusative | den Band | die Bände |
| dative | dem Band | den Bänden |
| genitive | des Bandes des Bands | der Bände |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
The article is crucial
For the meaning 'book', the article is always 'der'. The words 'das Band' (e.g., a tape) and 'die Band' (a music group) look the same, but have completely different meanings. So always pay attention to the correct article.
EXAMPLE
Der erste Band der Saga war am spannendsten.
The first volume of the saga was the most exciting.
Word family
'Der Band' (the volume) is related to the verb 'binden' (to bind). Historically, a book volume is a collection of pages that were bound together.
EXAMPLE
Der Buchbinder muss die losen Seiten wieder zu einem Band binden.
The bookbinder has to bind the loose pages back into a volume.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'book', the word is often used with numbers or in reference to a series. Typical phrases are 'Band eins' (volume one), 'ein Werk in mehreren Bänden' (a work in several volumes), or 'der letzte Band einer Trilogie' (the last volume of a trilogy).
EXAMPLE
Das Lexikon besteht aus zwanzig Bänden.
The encyclopedia consists of twenty volumes.
Register
The meaning 'book binding' is rare today. It is used mainly in the specialized language of librarians or in historical contexts.
EXAMPLE
Der kostbare Band aus dem 16. Jahrhundert war mit Gold verziert.
The valuable binding from the 16th century was decorated with gold.
In real life
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