die Geburt
birth
The natural process in which a human or animal comes into the world from the mother's womb.
EXAMPLE
Die Geburt ihres ersten Kindes war ein unvergessliches Erlebnis.
The birth of her first child was an unforgettable experience.
die Geburt
birth
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
die Geburt
birth
In a figurative sense, the beginning, emergence, or creation of something new, such as an idea, a movement, or an era.
EXAMPLE
Das Buch beschreibt die Geburt der modernen Demokratie.
The book describes the birth of modern democracy.
Usage tips
Word family
'Die Geburt' (birth) belongs to the word family of the verb 'gebären' (to give birth to a child). Words like 'der Geburtstag' (birthday) and the adjective 'gebürtig' (native-born, e.g. a native Berliner) are also related to it.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat ihr Kind zu Hause geboren.
She gave birth to her child at home.
Common compounds
'Geburt' is the base word for many important terms in forms and everyday life. The most common are 'der Geburtstag' (birthday), 'das Geburtsdatum' (date of birth), and 'der Geburtsort' (place of birth).
EXAMPLE
Bitte tragen Sie Ihren Geburtsort in das Formular ein.
Please enter your place of birth in the form.
Fixed expression
The expression 'von Geburt an' means 'since the moment of birth' or 'by nature'. It is used to describe a characteristic that a person has had their whole life.
EXAMPLE
Er ist von Geburt an blind.
He has been blind from birth.
Figurative meaning
You can recognize the figurative meaning by the fact that it is not about a living being. Instead, 'Geburt' is combined with abstract concepts such as 'einer Idee' (an idea), 'einer Bewegung' (a movement), or 'einer Epoche' (an era).
EXAMPLE
Das Internet markierte die Geburt eines neuen Zeitalters der Kommunikation.
The internet marked the birth of a new age of communication.
Compare with
Geburt vs Entstehung
origin / development
Both words can refer to the beginning of something new. „Entstehung“ describes this process neutrally, while „Geburt“ presents the beginning figuratively as a special moment of creation. For factual statements about how something began, „Entstehung“ is usually the better choice; „Geburt“ is possible when a deliberately powerful metaphor is intended.
Geburt
Die Geburt der neuen Bewegung wurde bei der ersten großen Versammlung gefeiert.
The birth of the new movement was celebrated at its first major gathering.
Entstehung
Die Entstehung der neuen Bewegung lässt sich bis zu dieser Versammlung zurückverfolgen.
The emergence of the new movement can be traced back to this gathering.
In real life
Loading video examples...