das Jahrhundert
century
A period of one hundred years.
EXAMPLE
Das Automobil wurde Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts erfunden.
The automobile was invented at the end of the 19th century.
das Jahrhundert
century
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Meanings
Usage tips
Compound word
The word is built very logically. It consists of 'Jahr' (year) and 'hundert' (hundred). So a 'Jahrhundert' (century) is literally a period of one hundred years.
EXAMPLE
Ein Jahrhundert hat zehn Jahrzehnte.
A century has ten decades.
Use with numbers
To name a specific century, you use the preposition 'im' (in the), an ordinal number with a period, and the word 'Jahrhundert'. For example, 'im 21. Jahrhundert' (in the 21st century).
EXAMPLE
Viele wichtige Erfindungen stammen aus dem 19. Jahrhundert.
Many important inventions come from the 19th century.
Use with genitive
To describe part of a century, the genitive is often used. Typical phrases are 'Anfang des Jahrhunderts' (at the beginning of the century), 'Mitte des Jahrhunderts' (in the middle of the century), and 'Ende des Jahrhunderts' (at the end of the century).
EXAMPLE
Meine Urgroßeltern wurden Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts geboren.
My great-grandparents were born at the beginning of the 20th century.
Compare with
Jahrhundert vs Century
century
Jahrhundert is the standard German term for a period of one hundred years. In this sense, Century has the same meaning, but in German it sounds uncommon and anglicized or appears in proper names. Jahrhundert is therefore the appropriate choice in ordinary historical references to a period of time.
Jahrhundert
Die Stadt wuchs im vergangenen Jahrhundert besonders schnell.
The city grew particularly quickly during the past century.
Century
Die Ausstellung trägt den englisch wirkenden Titel „Ein Century des Wandels“.
The exhibition is titled “Ein Century des Wandels,” an English-sounding title.
In real life
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