der Erdrutsch
landslide
The sudden sliding of large masses of earth or rock down a slope or mountain.
EXAMPLE
Nach tagelangem Regen löste sich ein Erdrutsch und blockierte die Straße.
After days of rain, a landslide occurred and blocked the road.
der Erdrutsch
landslide
der Erdrutsch, die Erdrutsche
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Meanings
der Erdrutsch
political landslide
A sudden, very large shift in votes or the balance of power, especially in an election.
EXAMPLE
Die Wahl führte zu einem politischen Erdrutsch.
The election led to a political landslide.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Erdrutsch, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Erdrutsche |
| genitive | des Erdrutschs |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Erdrutsch | die Erdrutsche |
| accusative | den Erdrutsch | die Erdrutsche |
| dative | dem Erdrutsch | den Erdrutschen |
| genitive | des Erdrutschs des Erdrutsches | der Erdrutsche |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word formation
'Erdrutsch' (landslide) is made up of 'Erd(e)' (earth) and 'Rutsch' (slide). The literal image of a sliding mass of earth explains its concrete meaning; this also gave rise to the figurative meaning of a sudden, very large shift in votes in an election.
EXAMPLE
Ein Erdrutsch zerstörte mehrere Häuser am Berghang.
A landslide destroyed several houses on the mountainside.
Context clue
Words such as 'Hang' (slope), 'Berg' (mountain), 'Geröll' (loose rock), or 'Straße' (road) indicate a natural disaster. When 'Wahl' (election), 'Partei' (party), or 'Stimmen' (votes) appear in the context, it usually refers to a sudden, very large shift in votes.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem starken Regen musste die Feuerwehr wegen eines Erdrutsches mehrere Straßen sperren.
After the heavy rain, the fire department had to close several roads because of a landslide.
Bei der Wahl kam es zu einem Erdrutsch: Die Regierungspartei verlor fast die Hälfte ihrer Stimmen.
The election resulted in a political landslide: the governing party lost almost half its votes.
Typical collocations
When referring to a natural event, 'Erdrutsch' (landslide) often occurs with verbs and phrases such as 'sich lösen' (to break loose), 'auslösen' (to trigger), and 'eine Straße blockieren' (to block a road). The phrase 'von einem Erdrutsch betroffen sein' (to be affected by a landslide) is also common.
EXAMPLE
Die heftigen Niederschläge lösten einen Erdrutsch aus.
The heavy rainfall triggered a landslide.
In real life
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