01
das Herkunftsland
country of origin
The country a person originally comes from or where they were born.
example
In ihrem Antrag musste sie ihr Herkunftsland angeben.
In her application, she had to state her country of origin.
das Herkunftsland
country of origin
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word composition
The word is made up of 'Herkunft' (origin) and 'Land' (country). 'Herkunft' itself is derived from the verb 'herkommen' (to come from). The 'Herkunftsland' (country of origin) is therefore literally the country from which someone or something comes.
EXAMPLE
Sein Herkunftsland ist Italien, aber er lebt schon seit 20 Jahren in Deutschland.
His country of origin is Italy, but he has been living in Germany for 20 years.
Formal usage
'Herkunftsland' (country of origin) is a typical word used in official language and formal trade. In everyday life, one would often simply ask: 'Woher kommst du?' (Where are you from?) or 'Wo wurde das hergestellt?' (Where was that made?).
EXAMPLE
Bitte tragen Sie Ihr Herkunftsland in das Formular ein.
Please enter your country of origin in the form.
Origin of people
When referring to people, 'Herkunftsland' (country of origin) is often used with verbs like 'angeben' (to state), 'verlassen' (to leave), or in the combination 'aus einem Land stammen' (to come from a country).
EXAMPLE
Viele Flüchtlinge können nicht in ihr Herkunftsland zurückkehren.
Many refugees cannot return to their country of origin.
Origin of goods
For products and goods, the country of origin is important information for consumers. It is often found on the label or packaging.
EXAMPLE
Das Herkunftsland dieser Bananen ist Ecuador.
The country of origin of these bananas is Ecuador.
Compare with
Herkunftsland vs Vaterland
fatherland
'das Vaterland' and 'das Herkunftsland' can both mean the country a person comes from. However, 'das Herkunftsland' is neutral and factual. It is used, for example, in forms, conversations about migration, or biographies. 'das Vaterland' sounds much more emotional and often patriotic. It is more suitable for historical, political, or solemn texts and is rarely used in everyday language. Learners may confuse the words because both point to a person's origin. If you simply want to say neutrally where someone comes from, 'das Herkunftsland' is usually more natural.
Herkunftsland
Im Antrag muss sie ihr Herkunftsland und ihr Geburtsdatum angeben.
In the application, she has to state her country of origin and her date of birth.
Vaterland
In dem alten Lied wird das Vaterland mit großer Liebe beschrieben.
In the old song, the fatherland is described with great love.
In real life
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