die Steigung
slope
An uphill section of a path, road, or terrain.
EXAMPLE
Für Radfahrer ist diese Steigung eine echte Herausforderung.
For cyclists, this slope is a real challenge.
die Steigung
slope
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Meanings
die Steigung
slope
In mathematics, a measure of the steepness of a line or curve in a coordinate system.
EXAMPLE
Die Steigung der Funktion an der Stelle x=2 beträgt 4.
The slope of the function at x=2 is 4.
die Steigung
increase
An increase or rise, for example in prices, temperatures, or other values.
EXAMPLE
Wir beobachten eine stetige Steigung der Energiepreise.
We are observing a steady increase in energy prices.
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Steigung' (slope / increase) comes from the verb 'steigen' (to rise / to climb). The ending '-ung' turns the verb into a feminine noun that describes the process or result of rising or climbing.
EXAMPLE
Die Temperaturen steigen heute auf über 30 Grad.
Temperatures are rising to over 30 degrees today.
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning of 'Steigung' (slope / increase) from the context: with words like 'Straße' (road) or 'Berg' (mountain), it means an uphill path. In connection with 'Funktion' (function) or 'Kurve' (curve), it is about mathematics. With 'Preisen' (prices) or 'Temperaturen' (temperatures), it means an increase in values.
EXAMPLE
Die Straße hat hier eine gefährliche Steigung.
The road has a dangerous slope here.
Typical adjectives
When referring to a path or road, 'Steigung' (slope) is often described with the adjectives 'steil' (steep), 'stark' (strong), 'leicht' (slight), or 'sanft' (gentle).
EXAMPLE
Nach der langen Wanderung kommt eine letzte steile Steigung.
After the long hike, there is one final steep slope.
Given in percent
The steepness of a road or mountain is often expressed with the preposition 'von' (of) and a percentage.
EXAMPLE
Vorsicht, diese Straße hat eine Steigung von 15 Prozent!
Careful, this road has a slope of 15 percent!
Register: technical language
In the meaning 'measure of the steepness of a curve', the word is a technical term from mathematics and is used mainly in this context.
EXAMPLE
Im Unterricht haben wir gelernt, wie man die Steigung einer linearen Funktion bestimmt.
In class, we learned how to determine the slope of a linear function.
Compare with
Steigung vs Anstieg
increase / ascent
Anstieg and Steigung can both refer to an uphill section. Anstieg focuses more on the route upward, while Steigung often describes its incline. Steigung is therefore particularly suitable when the figure is given as a percentage.
Steigung
Nach der Brücke hat die Straße bis zum Dorf eine Steigung von acht Prozent.
After the bridge, the road has an eight-percent incline all the way to the village.
Anstieg
Nach der Brücke beginnt ein langer Anstieg bis zum Dorf.
After the bridge, there is a long uphill stretch to the village.
In real life
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