die Masse
mass / crowd
A large, indefinite number of people or things.
EXAMPLE
Eine riesige Masse an Menschen wartete vor dem Stadion.
A huge crowd of people was waiting in front of the stadium.
die Masse
mass / crowd
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Meanings
die Masse
mass
A shapeless, often soft or sticky substance without a definite form.
EXAMPLE
Für den Kuchenteig verrührt man alle Zutaten zu einer glatten Masse.
For the cake batter, you stir all the ingredients into a smooth mass.
die breite Masse
the general public
The majority of the population; ordinary, average people.
EXAMPLE
Dieser Film ist für die breite Masse gemacht und nicht für ein Nischenpublikum.
This film is made for the general public and not for a niche audience.
die Masse
mass
In physics, a fundamental property of matter that determines its inertia and the strength of its gravitational attraction.
EXAMPLE
Die Masse eines Körpers wird in Kilogramm angegeben.
The mass of an object is given in kilograms.
die Masse
estate / assets
In a legal sense, the total assets of a person or company that is insolvent (bankruptcy estate).
EXAMPLE
Aus der Masse werden zuerst die Forderungen der Gläubiger bedient.
The creditors' claims are paid from the estate first.
Usage tips
Use with "an"
To express a large quantity of something, the structure 'eine Masse an' + noun in the dative plural is often used. This emphasizes the large, unmanageable number.
EXAMPLE
Wir mussten eine Masse an neuen Informationen verarbeiten.
We had to process a mass of new information.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'aus der Masse herausstechen' means to stand out positively from others through special qualities or achievements.
EXAMPLE
Mit ihrem kreativen Projekt stach sie deutlich aus der Masse heraus.
With her creative project, she clearly stood out from the crowd.
Context: cooking & building
The meaning 'formless substance' is often found in recipes or construction instructions. Typical verbs are 'verrühren' (to stir together), 'kneten' (to knead), or 'mischen' (to mix), and adjectives are 'glatt' (smooth), 'zäh' (sticky/tough), or 'fest' (firm).
EXAMPLE
Rühren Sie das Mehl und die Eier zu einer glatten Masse.
Stir the flour and eggs into a smooth mass.
Fixed expression
The expression 'die breite Masse' (the general public) is a fixed phrase and refers to the largest part of the population, meaning average citizens.
EXAMPLE
Der neue Superheldenfilm soll vor allem die breite Masse ansprechen.
The new superhero film is meant to appeal above all to the general public.
Technical language: physics
In physics, 'Masse' (mass) is an exact technical term. You can recognize this meaning from words like 'Kilogramm' (kilogram), 'Gewicht' (weight), or 'Gravitation' (gravitation) in the context of the natural sciences.
EXAMPLE
Die Anziehungskraft zwischen zwei Körpern hängt von ihrer Masse ab.
The gravitational attraction between two objects depends on their mass.
Compare with
Masse vs Menge
amount / crowd
Die Menge and die Masse can both refer to a large gathering of people. Die Menge names the group neutrally. Die Masse presents the people more strongly as an undifferentiated, unified mass and can therefore sound derogatory.
Masse
Vor dem Eingang drängte sich eine dichte Masse von Menschen.
A dense mass of people was pressing together in front of the entrance.
Menge
Vor dem Eingang wartete eine große Menge Menschen.
A large crowd of people was waiting in front of the entrance.
In real life
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