01
die Trennung
separation
The ending of a romantic relationship or marriage.
example
Die Trennung von seiner langjährigen Freundin fiel ihm sehr schwer.
The separation from his long-term girlfriend was very hard for him.
die Trennung
separation
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Die Trennung' (separation) is a noun derived from the verb 'trennen' (to separate). The ending '-ung' is often used to form a noun from a verb that describes the action or the result of that action.
EXAMPLE
Man muss den Müll sorgfältig trennen.
You have to separate the waste carefully.
Fixed preposition
'Die Trennung' is almost always used with the preposition 'von' and the dative to express what or who is being separated. This pattern applies to all meanings.
EXAMPLE
Die Trennung von ihrem Partner war schmerzhaft.
The separation from her partner was painful.
Context clue
You can tell what kind of 'Trennung' is meant from the object after the preposition 'von'. If it refers to a person, it is about a relationship. If it refers to things, it is about separation. If it refers to concepts, it is about a basic distinction.
EXAMPLE
Die Trennung von den Kindern fiel ihr schwer.
The separation from the children was hard for her.
Typical compound
The word 'Trennung' is part of many important compound nouns. A very everyday example is 'die Mülltrennung' (waste separation), meaning the separation of waste.
EXAMPLE
In Deutschland ist die Mülltrennung gesetzlich vorgeschrieben.
In Germany, waste separation is required by law.
Compare with
Trennung vs Verbindung
connection / association
'die Verbindung' and 'die Trennung' are often opposites. A connection brings things, places, or people together, for example technically, professionally, or socially. A separation means that things or people move apart or are separated from each other. With people, 'Trennung' can especially mean the end of a relationship or marriage. Put simply: a connection creates closeness or contact; a separation breaks that contact, or distance arises.
Trennung
Die Trennung fiel ihr schwer, weil sie viele Jahre mit ihm zusammen war.
The separation was hard for her because she had been with him for many years.
Verbindung
Nach der Nachricht blieb die Verbindung zwischen den beiden Teams eng.
After the news, the connection between the two teams remained close.
In real life
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