der Reichtum
wealth
The state of having a lot of money, property, and valuable goods; great fortune.
EXAMPLE
Er hat seinen Reichtum durch kluge Investitionen erworben.
He acquired his wealth through smart investments.
der Reichtum
wealth / abundance
der Reichtum, die Reichtümer
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Meanings
der Reichtum
abundance / richness
A great abundance or variety of something that does not have to be material, such as ideas, experiences, or nature.
EXAMPLE
Der Reichtum an verschiedenen Tier- und Pflanzenarten in diesem Wald ist beeindruckend.
The abundance of different animal and plant species in this forest is impressive.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Reichtum, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Reichtümer |
| genitive | des Reichtums |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Reichtum | die Reichtümer |
| accusative | den Reichtum | die Reichtümer |
| dative | dem Reichtum | den Reichtümern |
| genitive | des Reichtums | der Reichtümer |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word structure
The noun 'Reichtum' (wealth/abundance) is derived from the adjective 'reich' (rich). The ending '-tum' often forms abstract nouns that describe a state or a totality.
EXAMPLE
Er war ein sehr reicher Mann, aber sein Reichtum machte ihn nicht glücklich.
He was a very rich man, but his wealth did not make him happy.
Context clue
When 'Reichtum' (wealth) appears without any further complement, it usually means material wealth (money). The construction 'Reichtum an etwas' (abundance/richness of something), on the other hand, clearly points to the figurative meaning of great variety.
EXAMPLE
Sein einziges Ziel im Leben war es, großen Reichtum zu erlangen.
His only goal in life was to attain great wealth.
Typical expressions
In connection with money and possessions, there are fixed expressions such as 'zu Reichtum kommen' (to become wealthy), 'Reichtum anhäufen' (to accumulate wealth), or 'in Reichtum leben' (to live in wealth).
EXAMPLE
Durch harte Arbeit und etwas Glück ist sie zu großem Reichtum gekommen.
Through hard work and a bit of luck, she became very wealthy.
Sentence structure: an + dative
When 'Reichtum' (abundance/richness) describes an abundance or variety, the preposition 'an' followed by the dative is almost always used. This specifies what the richness consists of.
EXAMPLE
Das Buch zeichnet sich durch seinen Reichtum an Details aus.
The book is characterized by its wealth of detail.
Compare with
Reichtum vs Vermögen
fortune / ability
„Vermögen“ neutrally refers to a person’s total financial assets and can be given as a specific figure. „Reichtum“, by contrast, describes the state of possessing exceptionally large amounts of money and valuable goods. Use „Vermögen“ for stating the value of someone’s holdings and „Reichtum“ to emphasize great affluence.
Reichtum
Mit mehreren Häusern und drei Millionen Euro lebt sie in großem Reichtum.
With several houses and three million euros, she lives in great wealth.
Vermögen
Ihr Vermögen wird auf drei Millionen Euro geschätzt.
Her assets are estimated at three million euros.
In real life
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