01
der Titan
Titan
In Greek mythology, a member of a race of giant gods who ruled before the Olympian gods.
example
Kronos war ein Titan und der Vater von Zeus.
Cronus was a Titan and the father of Zeus.
der Titan
titan
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Grammar trap: N-declension
'Der Titan' is an N-declension noun. This means it takes the ending '-en' in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular.
EXAMPLE
Die Götter kämpften gegen die Titanen.
The gods fought against the Titans.
Context clue: gender
The gender helps determine the meaning. 'Der Titan' (masculine) refers to the mythological figure, an outstanding person, or the moon. 'Das Titan' (neuter) refers to the chemical element, meaning the metal.
EXAMPLE
Dieses Fahrrad hat einen Rahmen aus Titan.
This bicycle has a frame made of titanium.
Context clues
The context reveals the meaning. In mythology, it is about gods; in astronomy, it is about Saturn's moon; and when referring to people, it is about their outstanding achievements in a field such as art or science.
EXAMPLE
Die Titanen waren die Vorgänger der olympischen Götter.
The Titans were the predecessors of the Olympian gods.
Typical use
When a person is described as a 'Titan' (titan), the genitive or the preposition 'von' (of) is often used to specify the field in which they are outstanding. For example: 'ein Titan der Wissenschaft' (a titan of science) or 'ein Titan auf dem Gebiet der Musik' (a titan in the field of music).
EXAMPLE
Beethoven ist ein Titan der klassischen Musik.
Beethoven is a titan of classical music.
Compare with
Titan vs Gott
god
'Gott' and 'Titan' can both have to do with mythology, great power, or strong admiration. In Greek mythology, a Gott is a divine being, while a Titan belongs to an older race of giant beings. So a Titan is not simply the same thing as a Gott. Figuratively, both words can be used for greatly admired people: a 'Gott' is almost worshipped, while a 'Titan' seems especially great, strong, or important in their field. They can be confused because both sound very powerful, but 'Titan' fits more specifically with extraordinary greatness or achievement.
Titan
Viele nennen den alten Komponisten einen Titanen der Musik.
Many call the old composer a titan of music.
Gott
In der Sage hilft der Gott den Menschen in einer schweren Zeit.
In the legend, the god helps the people during a difficult time.
In real life
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