A large agricultural building on a farm that is mainly used for storing harvested goods such as hay and straw or for housing animals and machinery.
example
Der Bauer lagerte die Heuballen in der großen, alten Scheune.
The farmer stored the hay bales in the large old barn.
Usage tips
Prepositions: location and direction
To describe a location, you use 'in der Scheune' (in the barn, dative). To describe movement into the barn, you use 'in die Scheune' (into the barn, accusative).
EXAMPLE
Die Traktoren stehen sicher in der Scheune.
The tractors are standing safely in the barn.
Typical collocations
Common verbs used in connection with a barn are 'lagern' (to store), 'unterstellen' (to shelter/store), or 'bauen' (to build). The context is often about storing harvested goods or agricultural equipment.
EXAMPLE
Der Landwirt lagert sein Getreide in der Scheune.
The farmer stores his grain in the barn.
Cultural context
A barn is not only a storage place, but also a place for celebrations. A 'Scheunenfest' (barn party) is a typical rural celebration with music and dancing in a cleared-out barn.
EXAMPLE
Im Sommer veranstaltet das Dorf wieder ein großes Scheunenfest.
In the summer, the village is again hosting a big barn party.
Compare with
near_synonym · confusable
Scheune vs Speicher
storage / memory
'der Speicher' and 'die Scheune' can both be buildings where things are stored. The difference lies in the context. 'Speicher' generally means a building or container for large quantities, for example grain or water. 'Scheune' clearly belongs to a farm and is mainly used for hay, straw, machinery, or sometimes animals. Learners may confuse the words because harvested goods can be kept in both. If you mean an agricultural building on a farm, 'Scheune' is more natural. If you are speaking more generally about storing large quantities, 'Speicher' fits better.
Scheune
Am Wochenende haben die Bauern das Heu in die Scheune gebracht.
At the weekend, the farmers brought the hay into the barn.
Speicher
Der neue Speicher wird im Herbst mit Getreide gefüllt.
The new storage building will be filled with grain in the autumn.