die Privatsache
private matter
A personal matter that concerns only the person involved and is not intended for the public.
EXAMPLE
Ob ich heirate oder nicht, ist meine Privatsache.
Whether I get married or not is my private matter.
die Privatsache
private matter
die Privatsache, die Privatsachen
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Privatsache, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Privatsachen |
| genitive | der Privatsache |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Privatsache | die Privatsachen |
| accusative | die Privatsache | die Privatsachen |
| dative | der Privatsache | den Privatsachen |
| genitive | der Privatsache | der Privatsachen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word composition
The word is made up of the adjective 'privat' (private) and the noun 'die Sache' (the matter/thing). So it literally means a matter that is not public, but personal.
EXAMPLE
Seine Finanzen sind seine Privatsache.
His finances are his private matter.
Typical use
The word is very often used with a possessive pronoun to set a personal boundary. The statement 'Das ist meine Privatsache' (That is my private matter) means that you do not want to talk about a topic.
EXAMPLE
Was ich in meiner Freizeit mache, ist meine Privatsache.
What I do in my free time is my private matter.
Er wollte nicht darüber reden und sagte nur, es sei seine Privatsache.
He did not want to talk about it and only said that it was his private matter.
Fixed expression
The phrase 'etwas ist reine Privatsache' (something is purely a private matter) is often used to emphasize that a matter is absolutely no one else's business. The adjective 'rein' (pure) strengthens the statement here.
EXAMPLE
Die Entscheidung, umzuziehen, ist reine Privatsache der Familie.
The decision to move is purely the family's private matter.
In real life
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