die Gosse
gutter
An open channel at the edge of a road through which rainwater flows away.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem starken Regen führte die Gosse viel Wasser zum Kanal.
After the heavy rain, the gutter carried a lot of water to the drain.
die Gosse
gutter
die Gosse, die Gossen
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
die Gosse
the gutter
A term for a very poor or socially disreputable milieu. The word is often used disparagingly.
EXAMPLE
Er wollte nie wieder in die Gosse zurückkehren.
He never wanted to return to the gutter.
in der Gosse landen
to end up in the gutter
To fall into extreme poverty or a life completely excluded from society.
EXAMPLE
Ohne Hilfe hätte er nach dem Verlust seiner Arbeit in der Gosse landen können.
Without help, he could have ended up in the gutter after losing his job.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Gosse, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Gossen |
| genitive | der Gosse |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Gosse | die Gossen |
| accusative | die Gosse | die Gossen |
| dative | der Gosse | den Gossen |
| genitive | der Gosse | der Gossen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Typical collocations
In its literal street-related meaning, 'Gosse' (gutter) often occurs with words such as 'Straßenrand' (roadside), 'Regenwasser' (rainwater), or 'offen' (open). The expression 'in die Gosse laufen' (to run into the gutter) also describes the path taken by the water.
EXAMPLE
Das Regenwasser lief durch die offene Gosse am Straßenrand.
The rainwater ran through the open gutter at the side of the road.
Disparaging expression
The figurative meaning of 'Gosse' (gutter) is clearly disparaging and expresses a very negative judgment of a social environment. It often appears in expressions such as 'aus der Gosse kommen' (to come from the gutter) or 'Menschen aus der Gosse' (people from the gutter).
EXAMPLE
Er sprach verächtlich von Menschen aus der Gosse.
He spoke contemptuously about people from the gutter.
Fixed expression
In the expression 'in der Gosse landen' (to end up in the gutter), 'in' is used with the dative because 'in der Gosse' describes the state reached. The expression is often used together with words such as 'Armut' (poverty), 'Arbeitslosigkeit' (unemployment), or 'ohne Hilfe' (without help).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Verlust seiner Wohnung drohte die Familie in der Gosse zu landen.
After losing their home, the family was at risk of ending up in the gutter.
In real life
Loading video examples...