belonging / affiliation
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belonging
The feeling or state of being part of a group, community, or organization and feeling connected to it.
Ein starkes Teamgefühl fördert das Gefühl der Zugehörigkeit zum Unternehmen.
A strong team spirit promotes a sense of belonging to the company.
'Zugehörigkeit' (belonging/affiliation) is a noun derived from the verb 'zugehören' (to belong to). The ending '-keit' is often used to form abstract nouns from adjectives or verbs.
Er möchte gern zu unserer Gruppe zugehören.
He would like to belong to our group.
The word 'Zugehörigkeit' (belonging/affiliation) is almost always used with the preposition 'zu' + dative. This expresses which group, organization, or idea someone belongs to.
Sie betonte ihre Zugehörigkeit zum Team.
She emphasized her belonging to the team.
To describe emotionally settling into a group, 'Zugehörigkeit' (belonging) is very often combined with 'Gefühl' (feeling/sense): 'das Gefühl der Zugehörigkeit' (the feeling/sense of belonging).
In der neuen Schule fand er schnell ein Gefühl der Zugehörigkeit.
At the new school, he quickly found a sense of belonging.
In the formal context of membership, 'Zugehörigkeit' (affiliation) is often used with verbs like 'nachweisen' (to prove), 'bestätigen' (to confirm), or 'angeben' (to state).
Für den Rabatt müssen Sie Ihre Zugehörigkeit zur Universität nachweisen.
For the discount, you must prove your affiliation with the university.
connection
'der Anschluss' and 'die Zugehörigkeit' can both have to do with the feeling of being part of a group. 'Anschluss finden' describes more the path toward that: you get to know people and become part of a group. 'Zugehörigkeit' describes more the state or feeling afterward: you feel like part of the group. In everyday life, people often say 'Anschluss finden' when someone is new. 'Zugehörigkeit' fits better when talking about the feeling or connection to a community.
Die gemeinsamen Treffen stärken das Gefühl der Zugehörigkeit im Team.
The regular meetings strengthen the sense of belonging in the team.
Nach dem Umzug hat Tom im Sportverein schnell Anschluss gefunden.
After moving, Tom quickly made connections at the sports club.