das  Entkommen

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛntˈkɔmən/

🚪 What Exactly is "das Entkommen"?

Das Entkommen is a German noun (Nomen) and refers to the act of escaping or the result of escaping, meaning the successful flight from danger, captivity, or an unpleasant situation. It's the nominalization (Substantivierung) of the verb entkommen (to escape).

It is an abstract noun and takes the article das (neuter).

Example: Sein schnelles Entkommen überraschte die Verfolger. (His quick escape surprised the pursuers.)

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "das Entkommen" in Detail

Das Entkommen is a neuter noun. It is mostly used in the singular because it describes the abstract process or result. A plural form is very rare and uncommon.

Declension (Singular)

📝 Example Sentences

• Das Entkommen aus dem brennenden Gebäude war schwierig.
  (The escape from the burning building was difficult.)
• Er erinnerte sich an den Moment des Entkommens.
  (He remembered the moment of the escape.)
• Nach dem Entkommen fühlte er sich endlich sicher.
  (After the escape, he finally felt safe.)
• Sie planten das Entkommen sorgfältig.
  (They planned the escape carefully.)

⚠️ Note: Since it's a nominalized verb, it is capitalized (großgeschrieben).

🏃💨 When to Use "das Entkommen"?

Das Entkommen is used to describe the specific process or success of an escape. It often emphasizes overcoming an obstacle or threat.

• Contexts: Dangerous situations (Gefahrensituationen) like fire or accidents, captivity (Gefangenschaft) like prison or hostage situations, difficult social or psychological situations (Ausweg aus einer Krise - way out of a crisis).
• Difference from "die Flucht": "Die Flucht" (the flight, the escape) is often more general and can also describe a planned or longer-lasting movement away from something (e.g., die Flucht in ein anderes Land - fleeing to another country). "Das Entkommen" focuses more on the moment of breaking free or the result.
• Example: Nach dem Erdbeben war das Entkommen aus den Trümmern ein Wunder. (After the earthquake, the escape from the rubble was a miracle. - Focus on the act of getting free) vs. Die Familie war auf der Flucht vor dem Krieg. (The family was fleeing the war. - Focus on the ongoing movement)

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article "das": Think of 'das Event'. Escaping is an event, a neutral occurrence – it's not inherently masculine or feminine, just das event of escaping. The word 'event' itself is neuter in German (das Ereignis).

Meaning "Escape": Imagine you have to 'come' 'out' ('ent-') of a bad situation. You have to ent-kommen. The result, the successful act, is das Entkommen.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "das Entkommen"

Related Terms:

• entkommen (verb): (to escape) - The action of escaping.

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Geist beim Kartenspielen nie gewonnen?
(Why did the ghost never win at cards?)

Weil man ihm immer beim Schummeln entkommen ist! 😉
(Because everyone always escaped his cheating! / Because you could always see right through him!) (Note: The German verb 'entkommen' doesn't fit perfectly here for a direct translation joke, this is an adaptation)

📜 Poem about Escaping

Die Mauern hoch, der Weg so schmal,
(The walls so high, the path so narrow,)
Die Angst im Nacken, überall.
(Fear at the neck, everywhere.)
Doch Mut im Herzen, Schritt für Schritt,
(But courage in the heart, step by step,)
Das Entkommen – der letzte Ritt.
(The escape – the final ride.)
Die Freiheit ruft, ein leiser Klang,
(Freedom calls, a soft sound,)
Gelungen ist's, Gott sei Dank!
(It succeeded, thank God!)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin kein Ding, das man greifen kann,
(I am not a thing that one can grasp,)
doch sehnt sich nach mir mancher Mann (und Frau).
(yet many a man (and woman) longs for me.)
Aus Not, Gefahr, aus dunkler Haft,
(From need, danger, from dark confinement,)
wird meine Suche zur Willenskraft.
(the search for me becomes willpower.)
Was bin ich, das so befreiend ist?
(What am I, that is so liberating?)

Solution: das Entkommen (the escape)

💡 Other Interesting Facts

Word Formation (Wortbildung): "Das Entkommen" is a nominalization (Substantivierung) of the verb "entkommen". The prefix "ent-" here expresses a movement away from something or a release (similar to English 'de-' or 'dis-' in some contexts, or 'escape' itself). The root is the verb "kommen" (to come).

Abstract Nature: As an abstract noun (abstraktes Nomen), it describes the process or concept rather than a concrete object.