das  Experiment

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛkspɛʁiˈmɛnt/

🔬 What exactly is an Experiment?

Das Experiment (noun, neuter) refers to a scientific test or a systematic investigation in which a hypothesis is tested or knowledge is gained under controlled, variable conditions. It serves to uncover cause-and-effect relationships or to observe specific phenomena.

In a broader sense, it can also describe a daring attempt, a trial, or a venture in everyday life.

Example:

• Im Chemieunterricht machen wir heute ein spannendes Experiment. (In chemistry class today, we are doing an exciting experiment.)
• Seine neue Frisur war ein modisches Experiment. (His new hairstyle was a fashionable experiment.)

Article rules for der, die, and das

📝 Grammar Check: Das Experiment under the Microscope

The noun "Experiment" is neuter. The corresponding article is das.

Declension (Deklination)

Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)

1. Das Experiment bestätigte die Theorie des Forschers. (The experiment confirmed the researcher's theory.)
2. Die Ergebnisse des Experiments waren eindeutig. (The results of the experiment were clear.)
3. Wir widmeten uns ganz dem Experiment. (We dedicated ourselves entirely to the experiment.)
4. Der Lehrer erklärte das Experiment Schritt für Schritt. (The teacher explained the experiment step by step.)
5. Die Experimente wurden im Labor durchgeführt. (The experiments were conducted in the lab.)
6. Die Auswertung der Experimente dauerte mehrere Tage. (The evaluation of the experiments took several days.)
7. Besondere Vorsicht ist bei den Experimenten geboten. (Special caution is required during the experiments.)
8. Sie dokumentierten die Experimente sorgfältig. (They documented the experiments carefully.)

💡 How to Use "das Experiment"?

"Das Experiment" is primarily used in the context of science, research, and education. It describes a methodical process for gaining knowledge.

• Scientific context: Physikalische Experimente (physical experiments), chemische Experimente (chemical experiments), psychologische Experimente (psychological experiments), biologische Experimente (biological experiments).
• Educational context: Schülerexperimente (student experiments), Experimente im Unterricht (experiments in class).
• Everyday language: Here, it is often used metaphorically for a risky or new undertaking: Das Kochen ohne Rezept war ein kulinarisches Experiment. (Cooking without a recipe was a culinary experiment.)
• Verbs: Commonly used verbs are: ein Experiment durchführen / machen / starten / wagen (to conduct / do / start / dare an experiment); mit etwas experimentieren (to experiment with something).

Distinction: While "Versuch" (attempt, trial) is often used synonymously, "Experiment" emphasizes the systematic, controlled, and scientific nature more strongly.

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Experiment"

Article Mnemonic: Think of das Instrument or das Argument. Many German nouns ending in "-ment" are neuter (das).

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone experiencing something new by trying it out – that's an experiment. The sound is quite similar!

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Misleading Words:

• Der Experte / Die Expertin: (expert) A knowledgeable person, not the trial itself.

😂 A Little Joke

Ein Chemiker, ein Physiker und ein Biologe sitzen in einem Café und beobachten das Haus gegenüber. Sie sehen, wie zwei Leute hineingehen. Nach einer Weile kommen drei Leute heraus.

Der Physiker sagt: "Unsere ursprüngliche Zählung war wohl ungenau."

Der Biologe sagt: "Nein, die müssen sich vermehrt haben."

Der Chemiker sagt: "Interessant. Wenn jetzt noch einer reingeht, ist das Haus leer!"

Translation:

A chemist, a physicist, and a biologist are sitting in a café watching the house across the street. They see two people go in. After a while, three people come out.

The physicist says: "Our initial count must have been inaccurate."

The biologist says: "No, they must have reproduced."

The chemist says: "Interesting. Now, if one more person goes in, the house will be empty!"

(Okay, not directly about *das Experiment*, but about scientific ways of thinking!)

✍️ A Poem about the Experiment

Im Labor, ganz still und rein,
beginnt das Experiment, so fein.
Mit Glas und Kolben, Licht und Dampf,
entsteht ein wissenschaftlicher Kampf.

Man mischt und prüft, notiert genau,
ist die Hypothese schlau?
Mal knallt es laut, mal zischt es leis,
so ist des Forschens harter Preis.
Am Ende steht, nach Müh und Plag,
ein neuer Schritt, ein neuer Tag.

Translation:

In the lab, quiet and pure,
the experiment begins, so sure.
With glass and flask, light and steam,
a scientific battle does gleam.

They mix and test, note with care,
is the hypothesis clever and fair?
Sometimes a bang, sometimes a hiss,
such is research's hard-earned bliss.
In the end, after toil and strain,
a new step forward, again and again.

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Test, doch kein Examen,
brauch oft ein Labor und einen Rahmen.
Ich prüfe Thesen, groß und klein,
was könnte ich wohl sein?

Translation:

I am a test, but not an exam,
I often need a lab and a frame or plan.
I test hypotheses, big and small,
what could I possibly be called?

Lösung / Answer: Das Experiment / The Experiment

ℹ️ Other Information

Word Composition & Origin

The German word "Experiment" comes from the Latin word experimentum, meaning "trial, test, proof, experiment". It derives from the verb experiri ("to try, to test, to experience").

Related Terms

• experimentell: (adjective) experimental, based on experiment, tentative.
• experimentieren: (verb) to experiment, to conduct experiments.
• Der Experimentator / Die Experimentatorin: (noun) experimenter (male/female).