die Gutenachtgeschichte
bedtime story
A story told or read aloud to a child before they fall asleep.
EXAMPLE
Jeden Abend liest der Vater seiner Tochter eine Gutenachtgeschichte vor.
Every evening, the father reads his daughter a bedtime story.
die Gutenachtgeschichte
bedtime story
die Gutenachtgeschichte, die Gutenachtgeschichten
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Gutenachtgeschichte, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Gutenachtgeschichten |
| genitive | der Gutenachtgeschichte |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Gutenachtgeschichte | die Gutenachtgeschichten |
| accusative | die Gutenachtgeschichte | die Gutenachtgeschichten |
| dative | der Gutenachtgeschichte | den Gutenachtgeschichten |
| genitive | der Gutenachtgeschichte | der Gutenachtgeschichten |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Compound word
'Gutenachtgeschichte' (bedtime story) is made up of 'Gutenacht' (good night) and 'Geschichte' (story). The first component refers to the time before going to bed.
EXAMPLE
Die kurze Gutenachtgeschichte spielt in einem Zauberwald.
The short bedtime story is set in an enchanted forest.
Typical collocations
'Gutenachtgeschichte' (bedtime story) is particularly common with the verbs 'vorlesen' (to read aloud), 'erzählen' (to tell), and 'hören' (to listen to). Time expressions such as 'jeden Abend' (every evening) or 'vor dem Einschlafen' (before falling asleep) are also frequently used with it.
EXAMPLE
Die Großmutter erzählt ihrem Enkel jeden Abend eine Gutenachtgeschichte.
The grandmother tells her grandson a bedtime story every evening.
Dative construction
When specifying who the 'Gutenachtgeschichte' (bedtime story) is for, that person is often in the dative case: 'jemandem eine Gutenachtgeschichte vorlesen oder erzählen' (to read or tell someone a bedtime story).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du dem Kleinen bitte noch eine Gutenachtgeschichte vorlesen?
Can you please read the little one another bedtime story?
In real life
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