das Deutsche
German
The German language.
EXAMPLE
Das Deutsche gehört zu den germanischen Sprachen.
German belongs to the Germanic languages.
das Deutsche
German / Germanness
das Deutsche
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Meanings
das Deutsche
Germanness
Everything considered German, such as German characteristics, values, or cultural features.
EXAMPLE
In dem Roman sucht der Autor nach dem Deutschen in der Geschichte des Landes.
In the novel, the author searches for Germanness in the country's history.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Deutsche, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Deutschen |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Deutsche | – |
| accusative | das Deutsche | – |
| dative | dem Deutschen | – |
| genitive | des Deutschen | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Substantivized adjective
'Das Deutsche' (German / Germanness) is a substantivized adjective: the adjective 'deutsch' (German) is used as a noun for an abstract area and is therefore capitalized. The article 'das' is an established part of this usage.
EXAMPLE
Das Deutsche fasziniert viele Sprachwissenschaftler.
German fascinates many linguists.
Sie beschäftigt sich seit Jahren mit dem Deutschen.
She has been studying German for years.
Context clue
In language-related contexts, the context points to the meaning 'deutsche Sprache' (German language); words such as grammar, expression, or translation are typical signals. When the subject is history, culture, or values, 'das Deutsche' (German / Germanness) usually refers to an abstract collection of German characteristics.
EXAMPLE
Im Deutschen steht das Verb in diesem Satz an letzter Stelle.
In German, the verb comes last in this sentence.
Der Historiker untersucht das Deutsche in der politischen Kultur.
The historian examines Germanness in political culture.
Language-related expressions
For the meaning referring to the language, expressions such as 'im Deutschen' (in German) and 'aus dem Deutschen' (from German) are especially common. They are often followed by information about grammar, pronunciation, or translation.
EXAMPLE
Im Deutschen gibt es viele zusammengesetzte Nomen.
German has many compound nouns.
Die Übersetzung aus dem Deutschen war sehr sorgfältig.
The translation from German was very carefully done.
Essayistic style
The meaning referring to the entirety of German cultural or historical characteristics occurs especially in essayistic, historical, and philosophical texts. There, 'das Deutsche' (German / Germanness) is often connected with topics such as identity, history, or culture.
EXAMPLE
Der Essay fragt nach dem Deutschen in der modernen Kunst.
The essay asks about Germanness in modern art.
In real life
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