das
Gefäß
Definition Unpacked 🏺/🩸: What is 'das Gefäß'?
The German word das Gefäß (noun, neuter) primarily has two meanings:
- Container / Vessel / Receptacle: An object used to hold or store something (usually liquids or loose substances). It can be made of various materials like glass, clay, metal, or plastic.
- Biological Vessel: A tubular structure in the body of living organisms that transports fluids.
- Examples: Blutgefäße (blood vessels - arteries, veins, capillaries), Lymphgefäße (lymph vessels).
🚨 Important: Although both meanings exist, the context is crucial to understand which type of Gefäß is meant.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Ge- → mostly neutral.
Nouns beginning with Ge- are usually neutral, unless other rules apply. We do not list all Ge nouns.
Ge- → mostly neutral.
Nouns beginning with Ge- are usually neutral, unless other rules apply. We do not list all Ge nouns.
Grammar Deep Dive 📈: Declining 'das Gefäß'
The word "Gefäß" is a neuter noun. Therefore, the correct article is das.
Singular Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | das | Gefäß |
| Genitive (Whose?) | des | Gefäßes |
| Dative (To/For Whom?) | dem | Gefäß / Gefäße |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | das | Gefäß |
Note: In the dative singular, besides "Gefäß", the form "Gefäße" is also possible but less common.
Plural Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Gefäße |
| Genitive | der | Gefäße |
| Dative | den | Gefäßen |
| Accusative | die | Gefäße |
Example Sentences
- (Container): Stell bitte das Gefäß mit den Blumen auf den Tisch.
(Please put the container with the flowers on the table.) - (Container): In diesem tönernen Gefäß bleibt Wasser lange kühl.
(Water stays cool for a long time in this clay vessel.) - (Biological): Der Arzt untersuchte die Gefäße des Patienten.
(The doctor examined the patient's vessels.) - (Biological): Verengte Gefäße können zu Herzproblemen führen.
(Narrowed vessels can lead to heart problems.)
Context is Key ✨: Using 'das Gefäß' Correctly
The use of das Gefäß strongly depends on the context:
- In everyday life / household: Here, "Gefäß" usually refers to a container for storing or serving. People talk about Trinkgefäße (drinking vessels), Vorratsgefäße (storage containers), Pflanzgefäße (plant pots), etc. It's a rather general term; more specific words like Tasse (cup), Topf (pot), Vase (vase) are often preferred.
- In medicine / biology: In this field, "Gefäß" clearly refers to the tubular pathways in the body (blood vessels, lymph vessels). Here, the term is very common and specific.
- In archaeology / art history: Here, "Gefäß" often refers to ancient or historical containers made of ceramic, glass, or metal.
Confusion is rare as the context usually makes the meaning clear. "Behälter" is a more general term for the first meaning, while "Ader" can be a colloquial term for a blood vessel.
Brain Boosters 💡: Remembering 'das Gefäß'
- Article Mnemonic (das): Think of das Glas (the glass). A glass is a type of Gefäß (container). Both "Glas" and "Gefäß" are neuter (das) and start with 'G' sound (although different letters). It's das glass vessel.
- Meaning Mnemonic (Container/Vessel): Imagine you fass (from fassen - to hold/grasp, related to Gefäß) some water into das glass (container) while also feeling your blood flowing through das vessel network in your body. Both hold or conduct something.
It holds something fast, so it's das Ge-fäß. Be it blood or water, it has its place!
Word Family Tree 🌳: Synonyms & Antonyms for das Gefäß
Synonyms
- For Container:
- For Biological Vessel:
- Ader (vein, vessel - esp. blood vessel, colloquial)
- Blutgefäß (blood vessel)
- Lymphgefäß (lymph vessel)
- Leitungsbahn (conduit, pathway - biol.)
A Little Chuckle 😂
German: Fragt der Arzt den Patienten: "Haben Sie Probleme mit Ihren Gefäßen?" Antwortet der Patient: "Nein, Herr Doktor, meine Vasen sind alle in Ordnung!"
English Translation: The doctor asks the patient: "Do you have problems with your vessels (Gefäßen)?" The patient replies: "No, doctor, my vases (Vasen) are all okay!" (Plays on the double meaning of Gefäß/vessel).
Poetic Vessel: Verses & Translation 📜
German:
Ob Ton, ob Glas, ob zartes Rohr,
Das Gefäß dient stets als Tor.
Es hält den Trank, das Lebensblut,
Bewahrt es sicher, frisch und gut.
Ein Hohlraum, doch voll Sinn und Zweck,
Verbirgt oft mehr als nur Gepäck.
English Translation:
Be it clay, or glass, or tube so slight,
The vessel always serves as a gate.
It holds the drink, the blood of life,
Keeps it safe, fresh, and free from strife.
A hollow space, yet purpose-filled,
Often hides more than just what's spilled.
Riddle Me This... 🧐
German:
Ich kann zerbrechlich sein aus Glas,
Oder im Körper, voller Nass.
Mal halt' ich Suppe, mal halt' ich Wein,
Mal fließt das rote Leben rein.
Was bin ich, sag, mit 'das' davor?
English Translation:
I can be fragile, made of glass,
Or in the body, full of liquid mass.
Sometimes I hold soup, sometimes wine,
Sometimes red life flows through my line.
What am I, say, with 'das' before?
(... Das Gefäß / The vessel)
Extra Insights & Origins 📜
Etymology: The word "Gefäß" derives from the Old High German "gifazzi," a collective formation based on the verb "fassen" (to grasp, hold, contain). It originally meant something like "the entirety of what is held or carried" or "container." The connection to the verb fassen is therefore direct.
Compound Words: There are many compound words (Komposita) ending in "-gefäß", such as: Blutgefäß (blood vessel), Lymphgefäß (lymph vessel), Trinkgefäß (drinking vessel), Vorratsgefäß (storage container), Pflanzgefäß (plant pot), Herzgefäß (cardiac vessel), Messgefäß (measuring vessel).
Summary: is it der, die or das Gefäß?
The correct form is always das Gefäß (neuter). It refers to both a container/receptacle and a biological vessel (e.g., blood vessel).