die Herkunft
origin
The social, geographical, or family origin of a person.
EXAMPLE
Er ist stolz auf seine italienische Herkunft.
He is proud of his Italian origin.
die Herkunft
origin
die Herkunft, die Herkünfte
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Meanings
die Herkunft
origin
The place or process from which a thing, product, or idea comes.
EXAMPLE
Bei Lebensmitteln ist die Angabe der Herkunft für Verbraucher sehr wichtig.
For food products, information about origin is very important for consumers.
die Herkunft
origin
In linguistics, the etymological origin of a word or expression.
EXAMPLE
Das Wörterbuch erklärt die Herkunft vieler deutscher Begriffe.
The dictionary explains the origin of many German terms.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Herkunft, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Herkünfte |
| genitive | der Herkunft |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Herkunft | die Herkünfte |
| accusative | die Herkunft | die Herkünfte |
| dative | der Herkunft | den Herkünften |
| genitive | der Herkunft | der Herkünfte |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Herkunft' (origin) is made up of 'her' (indicating a direction) and 'Kunft' (an old form derived from 'kommen' (to come)). So it literally means 'where something comes from' or the origin.
EXAMPLE
Die Herkunft des Namens ist nicht eindeutig geklärt.
The origin of the name has not been clearly established.
Grammar and usage
The noun 'Herkunft' (origin) answers the question 'Woher?' (from where?). It is almost always used with the preposition 'von' (+ dative) or a genitive to name the origin.
EXAMPLE
Die genaue Herkunft von diesem alten Möbelstück ist unbekannt.
The exact origin of this old piece of furniture is unknown.
Die Herkunft des Täters konnte schnell ermittelt werden.
The origin of the perpetrator could be determined quickly.
Typical adjectives
When referring to a person’s origin, 'Herkunft' (origin) is often combined with adjectives such as 'sozial' (social), 'familiär' (family-related), 'geografisch' (geographical), or nationalities, e.g. 'türkische Herkunft' (Turkish origin).
EXAMPLE
Seine soziale Herkunft hat seinen beruflichen Weg nicht beeinflusst.
His social origin did not influence his career path.
Sie ist deutscher Herkunft, lebt aber seit ihrer Kindheit in Frankreich.
She is of German origin but has lived in France since childhood.
Origin of products
In connection with goods or food products, people often speak of the 'Herkunftsland' (country of origin) or the 'Herkunftsnachweis' (proof of origin). These terms are important in trade and for consumers.
EXAMPLE
Der Wein hat eine geschützte Herkunftsbezeichnung.
The wine has a protected designation of origin.
Für dieses Fleisch ist ein Herkunftsnachweis erforderlich.
Proof of origin is required for this meat.
Compare with
Herkunft vs Hintergrund
background
„Herkunft“ refers to a person’s social, geographical, or family origin. „Hintergrund“ is broader and can include education and experiences in addition to social origin. Use „Herkunft“ for someone’s origin, and „Hintergrund“ for their entire life experience and knowledge.
Herkunft
Im Bewerbungsgespräch spricht Ana über ihre Herkunft aus einer Arbeiterfamilie.
During the job interview, Ana talks about her origins in a working-class family.
Hintergrund
Im Bewerbungsgespräch spricht Ana über ihren beruflichen Hintergrund und ihre bisherigen Erfahrungen.
During the job interview, Ana talks about her professional background and previous experience.
In real life
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