das  Gemeindehaus

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈmaɪndəˌhaʊs/

🏠 What exactly is a Gemeindehaus?

A Gemeindehaus (article: das) is a building that serves a church community (*Kirchengemeinde*) or a local political community (*politische Gemeinde*), often in smaller towns, as a meeting place and for various activities. It can be used for events, meetings, courses, youth work, or sometimes administrative tasks.

• Ecclesiastical Context: Often located next to the church, it serves as a center for community life (e.g., coffee gatherings after service, Bible study groups, choir rehearsals). Sometimes also called Pfarrheim (parish hall).
• Municipal Context: In smaller municipalities, the *Gemeindehaus* can also take on functions of a town hall (*Rathaus*) or be a general meeting place for citizens (Bürgerhaus - community center).

It's a neuter noun, hence always das Gemeindehaus.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Das Gemeindehaus

The word "Gemeindehaus" is a neuter noun. The article is das.

Example Sentences

1. Der Jugendkreis trifft sich jeden Freitag im Gemeindehaus.
   (The youth group meets every Friday in the community hall.)
2. Die Renovierung des Gemeindehauses wird teuer.
   (The renovation of the community hall will be expensive.)
3. Neben dem Gemeindehaus befindet sich ein kleiner Park.
   (Next to the community hall, there is a small park.)
4. Wir haben das Gemeindehaus für die Feier gemietet.
   (We rented the community hall for the party.)
5. Viele Dörfer haben eigene Gemeindehäuser.
   (Many villages have their own community halls.)

🗣️ How to use "Gemeindehaus"?

The term Gemeindehaus is mainly used in two contexts:

• Church-related: Refers to the building of a church congregation used for non-worship activities. Here, it's a synonym for Pfarrheim (parish hall) or Gemeindezentrum (community center).
• Municipal: Refers to a public building in a (usually smaller) political municipality used for meetings, events, or sometimes administrative purposes. Similar to Bürgerhaus (community center) or, in very small places, perhaps even a kind of small Rathaus (town hall).

Distinction:

• A Rathaus is primarily the administrative seat of a city or municipality.
• A Kirchengebäude (the church building) is primarily intended for worship services.
• A Vereinsheim belongs to a specific club or association.

Usage is often diverse: from coffee mornings (*Kaffeekränzchen*) and courses to official community council meetings.

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article 'das': Many German words ending in "-haus" are neuter: das Haus (house), das Krankenhaus (hospital), das Rathaus (town hall)... and also das Gemeindehaus. Think of 'das Haus' as the base!

Meaning: Imagine a Gemeinde (a community, church or local) meeting in their shared Haus (house). The house for the Gemeinde = Gemeindehaus.

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

Beware of Confusion:

Be careful not to confuse Gemeindehaus (the building) with Gemeinde (the group of people or the administrative area).

😂 A Little Joke

Warum ist das Gemeindehaus oft so gut besucht?

Weil dort immer was los ist – von der Krabbelgruppe bis zum Seniorenkaffee, da kommt die ganze Gemeinde zusammen! 😉

Translation:

Why is the community hall often so well attended?

Because there's always something going on there – from the toddler group to the seniors' coffee morning, the whole community comes together! 😉

✍️ A Little Poem

Im Herzen vom Dorfe, nicht alt und nicht neu,
steht das Gemeindehaus, für Groß und für Klein, ganz treu.
Hier wird gelacht, getagt, gelernt,
die Gemeinschaft gepflegt, gern gehört, gern beehrt.
Ein Haus für die Mitte, offen und licht,
das ist das Gemeindehaus, ein vertrautes Gesicht.

Translation:

In the heart of the village, not old and not new,
stands the community hall, for big and for small, quite true.
Here people laugh, meet, and learn,
the community nurtured, gladly heard, gladly honored in turn.
A house for the center, open and bright,
that's the community hall, a familiar sight.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin ein Haus, doch wohnt hier keiner fest.
Mal Kirche nah, mal Ort für ein Fest.
Vereine tagen, Kurse finden statt,
für die Gemeinschaft bin ich eine Heimstatt.
Mal kirchlich, mal kommunal, mein Zweck ist klar,
ich bringe Menschen zusammen, Jahr für Jahr.

Was bin ich?

Translation:

I am a house, but no one lives here permanently.
Sometimes near a church, sometimes a place for a party.
Clubs meet, courses take place,
for the community, I am a home base.
Sometimes church-related, sometimes municipal, my purpose is clear,
I bring people together, year after year.

What am I?

Solution: Das Gemeindehaus (The community hall / parish hall)

💡 More Tidbits

Word Composition:

The word "Gemeindehaus" is a compound noun, composed of:

• Die Gemeinde: Refers to a community of people (church or political) or an administrative area.
• Das Haus: A house or building.

Together, the meaning is: A house that serves or belongs to the community.

Architecture: *Gemeindehäuser* vary greatly in style, from traditional buildings to modern functional structures. Their architecture often reflects the period they were built in and the financial situation of the respective community.