das  Gedränge

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈdʁɛŋə/

🚶‍♀️ What exactly is 'Gedränge'?

The German word das Gedränge (neuter gender) refers to a large crowd of people in a confined space, where it's difficult to move freely. It describes a situation where many people are standing close together or pushing.

It's a noun derived from the verb drängen (to push, press) and is mostly used in the singular because it describes a collective mass.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Das Gedränge

Das Gedränge is a noun of the neuter gender (Neutrum). It is almost exclusively used in the singular.

A plural form (die Gedränge) is very rare and hardly ever used.

📝 Example Sentences

1. Im morgendlichen Gedränge der U-Bahn ist es schwer, einen Sitzplatz zu finden.
   (In the morning crowd/crush on the subway, it's hard to find a seat.)
2. Wir versuchten, uns durch das dichte Gedränge auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt zu schieben.
   (We tried to push our way through the dense crowd at the Christmas market.)
3. Nach dem Konzert entstand ein großes Gedränge am Ausgang.
   (After the concert, there was a big crowd/throng at the exit.)

🗣️ How to Use 'Gedränge'?

Das Gedränge is typically used to describe situations where many people gather in a small space:

• Public Transport: Rush hours on buses and trains (e.g., das morgendliche Gedränge - the morning crush/crowd).
• Events: Concerts, festivals, sports events, markets (e.g., im Gedränge vor der Bühne - in the crowd in front of the stage).
• Retail Spaces: Sales, special promotion days (e.g., ein unerträgliches Gedränge im Kaufhaus - an unbearable crowd in the department store).

It often carries a slightly negative connotation, implying tightness, discomfort, and difficulty moving. It's stronger than Menschenmenge (crowd of people), as it emphasizes the pushing and lack of space.

⚠️ Be careful: Don't confuse it with the verb drängen (to push) or the noun Andrang (often synonymous, but sometimes emphasizes the demand or rush towards something, like a checkout).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

For the article (das): Many German nouns starting with 'Ge-' and ending in '-e' that describe a collective action or state are neuter ('das'), like das Gerede (talk/gossip), das Gemälde (painting), das Gebäude (building)... and also das Gedränge. Think of 'Ge-' + '-e' = neuter collective thing.

For the meaning: Imagine people drängen (pushing) and getting dränged together – the result is das Ge-dränge. The 'Ge-' prefix often signals something collective or summarised.

🔄 Similar and Opposite: Synonyms & Antonyms

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Skelette nie am Gedränge teil?

Weil sie nicht den nötigen Körper dafür haben, sich durchzusetzen! 😉

(Why do skeletons never take part in a crowd/crush?)

(Because they don't have the body to push through!) (Pun: Körper = body)

📜 Poem about the Gedränge

Im dichten Gedränge, Mann an Mann,
fängt leicht der Stress zu wirken an.
Ein Schieben, Stoßen, kaum ein Schritt,
man kommt hier einfach nicht recht mit.
Die Luft wird knapp, der Raum so klein,
im Gedränge möcht' man nicht lang sein.

(In the dense crowd, man to man,
Stress easily starts to take command.
A pushing, shoving, barely a pace,
One simply can't keep up in this place.
The air grows thin, the space so small,
In the crowd, one doesn't want to stay long at all.)

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich habe keinen Mund, doch drücke sehr.
Ich habe keine Füße, doch komm' ich oft daher.
Wo viele Menschen sind, auf engstem Raum,
da bin ich spürbar, wie ein schlechter Traum.

Was bin ich? (Lösung: das Gedränge)

(I have no mouth, but I press hard.
I have no feet, yet I often appear.
Where many people are, in the tightest yard,
I am felt, like a bad dream causing fear.)

(What am I?)
(Answer: das Gedränge / the crowd/crush)

💡 Other Information

Word Formation: The word 'Gedränge' is a collective noun derived from the verb drängen (to push). The prefix Ge- and the suffix -e are often used in German to form nouns indicating a collective entity or the result of an action (compare: reden -> Gerede (talk/gossip), laufen -> Gelaufe (running around)).

Cultural Aspects: The perception of 'Gedränge' can vary culturally. What is considered a normal crowd in one culture might already be perceived as unpleasantly crowded in another.