01
der Gesang
singing
The production of tones and melodies with the human voice, often as an artistic expression.
example
Der Gesang der Opernsängerin war atemberaubend.
The opera singer's singing was breathtaking.
der Gesang
singing / song
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'der Gesang' (singing/song) is derived directly from the verb 'singen' (to sing). The prefix 'Ge-' is often used to form nouns from verbs that describe an action or its result.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind lernt gerade das Singen im Chor.
The child is currently learning singing in the choir.
Typical collocations
When human voices are involved, 'Gesang' is often combined with adjectives that describe the type or quality. Typical examples are 'klassischer Gesang' (classical singing), 'geistlicher Gesang' (sacred singing), or 'mehrstimmiger Gesang' (part-singing / polyphonic singing).
EXAMPLE
In der Kirche hörten wir wunderschönen geistlichen Gesang.
In the church, we heard beautiful sacred singing.
Fixed combination
In the meaning 'Vogellaute' (bird sounds), 'Gesang' is very frequently used in the fixed combination 'der Gesang der Vögel' (the song of the birds) or as the compound 'der Vogelgesang' (birdsong).
EXAMPLE
Im Frühling ist der Vogelgesang besonders laut.
In spring, the birdsong is especially loud.
Context clue
You can recognize this literary meaning from the context. It is used almost exclusively for classical, long poems (epics) and is often combined with an ordinal number.
EXAMPLE
Wir lesen heute den ersten Gesang von Dantes „Inferno“.
Today we're reading the first canto of Dante's 'Inferno'.
Compare with
Gesang vs Stimme
voice / vote
'die Stimme' and 'der Gesang' both have to do with sounds that a person makes with the mouth and larynx. 'Stimme' means the sound of a person speaking or singing. 'Gesang' means the act of singing itself or what is being sung. That is why, for example, you say that someone has a beautiful 'Stimme', but that the 'Gesang' in a song is soft or powerful. The words can be confused because, of course, you use your voice when singing. But the voice is more the means, while the singing is the sung action or music.
Gesang
Der Gesang des Chors war in der Kirche besonders klar.
The choir's singing was especially clear in the church.
Stimme
Nach der Erkältung klingt Lisas Stimme noch etwas heiser.
After the cold, Lisa's voice still sounds a bit hoarse.
In real life
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