die Fassade
facade
The outer wall of a building, especially the show-facing side toward the street.
EXAMPLE
Die Fassade des alten Schlosses wird aufwendig restauriert.
The facade of the old castle is being restored at great expense.
die Fassade
facade
die Fassade, die Fassaden
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Meanings
die Fassade
facade
An outward appearance meant to hide the true feelings, intentions, or circumstances of a person or thing.
EXAMPLE
Er wahrte nach außen die Fassade einer glücklichen Ehe.
To the outside world, he maintained the facade of a happy marriage.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Fassade, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Fassaden |
| genitive | der Fassade |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Fassade | die Fassaden |
| accusative | die Fassade | die Fassaden |
| dative | der Fassade | den Fassaden |
| genitive | der Fassade | der Fassaden |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Metaphorical meaning
The figurative meaning of 'Fassade' (facade) as an outward appearance comes directly from the architectural meaning. Just as the wall of a house hides the inside of a building, a person can put up a 'Fassade' (facade) to hide their true feelings.
EXAMPLE
Er lächelte, aber es war klar, dass das nur Fassade war.
He smiled, but it was clear that it was only a facade.
Fixed expression
The expression 'hinter die Fassade blicken' (to look behind the facade) is very common. It can literally mean seeing the inside of a building, but it is usually used metaphorically to recognize the true nature of a person or situation.
EXAMPLE
Nur wenige Freunde durften bei ihr hinter die Fassade blicken.
Only a few friends were allowed to look behind her facade.
Typical verbs
In the figurative sense, 'Fassade' (facade) is often used with verbs that express an effort. Typical phrases are 'die Fassade wahren' (to maintain the facade) or 'die Fassade aufrechterhalten' (to keep up the facade), meaning to preserve appearances.
EXAMPLE
Trotz der Probleme versuchte sie, die Fassade einer perfekten Familie aufrechtzuerhalten.
Despite the problems, she tried to keep up the facade of a perfect family.
Compare with
Fassade vs Front
front
For a building, Front can refer to the entire side facing forward. Fassade means the outer wall and focuses particularly on its visible design or surface. Front is appropriate for the location; for the material, color, or design, Fassade is usually more suitable.
Fassade
Die Fassade des Hauses wurde frisch gestrichen.
The facade of the house was freshly painted.
Front
An der Front des Hauses liegt der Haupteingang.
The main entrance is on the front of the house.
In real life
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