das  Gewässer

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈvɛsɐ/

💧 What exactly is a Gewässer?

The word das Gewässer (noun, neuter) refers to a body of water in the landscape. It's a general term for various types of standing or flowing water bodies, whether natural or man-made.

Examples include:

• Seen (lakes)
• Flüsse (rivers)
• Bäche (streams/brooks)
• Teiche (ponds)
• Kanäle (canals)
• Sometimes also Meere (seas/oceans), although Meer is the more specific term.

It's a collective noun formed by the prefix ge- and the word Wasser (water). It emphasizes the entirety or collection of water.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar under the Microscope: Das Gewässer

The word Gewässer is neuter, so it uses the article das.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

Example Sentences

1. Der Bodensee ist ein großes Gewässer in Mitteleuropa. (Lake Constance is a large body of water in Central Europe.)
2. Die Qualität des Gewässers hat sich in den letzten Jahren verbessert. (The quality of the body of water has improved in recent years.)
3. Viele Fische leben in diesem flachen Gewässer. (Many fish live in this shallow body of water.)
4. Die Stadt schützt ihre umliegenden Gewässer durch strenge Auflagen. (The city protects its surrounding waters with strict regulations.)
5. Wir machten eine Bootsfahrt auf den malerischen Gewässern der Region. (We took a boat trip on the picturesque waters of the region.)

💬 How 'Gewässer' is Used

Das Gewässer is a general term, often used in contexts where the specific type of water body (See, Fluss, etc.) is not the focus or is unknown.

• Geography & Environment: Common in reports about water quality, ecosystems, or landscape descriptions. ("Die Verschmutzung der Gewässer ist ein Problem." - The pollution of the waters is a problem.)
• Law & Administration: In laws and regulations concerning water rights. ("Das Befahren der Gewässer ist nur mit Genehmigung erlaubt." - Navigating the waters is only permitted with authorization.)
• Everyday Language: Less frequent in direct conversation, where people tend to be more specific (See, Fluss), but perfectly understandable. ("Wir suchen ein schönes Gewässer zum Baden." - We are looking for a nice body of water for swimming.)

Difference from Wasser: Wasser refers to the substance H₂O, while Gewässer refers to the geographical formation (the body of water).

⚠️ Sometimes Gewässer is used metaphorically, e.g., "in ruhigen/trüben Gewässern fischen" (lit. "to fish in calm/murky waters"), meaning to take advantage of an unclear situation.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'das Gewässer'

For the article: Think of das Wasser (the water). Many collective nouns starting with Ge- are neuter (das Gebirge - mountain range, das Gemüse - vegetables). While there are exceptions, it works here: Ge- + Wasser (water) = das Gewässer.

For the meaning: Imagine seeing a landscape with many different water areas – lakes, rivers, ponds. The prefix Ge- gathers them all under one term: a General collection of Wasser = Gewässer (body of water).

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

Similar but different words:

• Wasserlauf: Usually refers only to flowing waters (watercourse).
• Gewächs: Plant (sounds similar, but unrelated).

😄 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Fische kein Salz mit ins Gewässer?

Weil sie schon im Salzwasser leben würden, wenn sie es bräuchten – aber die meisten leben ja im Süßwasser!

(Why don't fish take salt into the water body? Because they would already live in salt water if they needed it – but most live in freshwater! Okay, that one's as shallow as some Gewässer...)

📜 A Little Poem

Ein Gewässer, klar und tief,
Wo der stille Mond drauf schlief.
Mal ein Fluss, der eilig fließt,
Mal ein See, den Schilf umschließt.

Von den Bergen kommt es an,
Füllt die Täler, dann und wann.
Lebensader, kühl und nass,
Spiegelt Himmel, Baum und Gras.

---

(A body of water, clear and deep,
Where the silent moon did sleep.
Sometimes a river, flowing fast,
Sometimes a lake, by reeds encased.)

(From mountains high, it makes its way,
Fills the valleys, come what may.
Lifeline, cool and wet and vast,
Reflects the sky, the trees, the grass.)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich kann ein kleiner Teich sein oder groß wie ein Meer,
Ich fließe als Fluss oder liege ruhig und hehr.
Fische schwimmen in mir, Boote fahren auf mir hin und her.
Ich bin eine Ansammlung von Wasser, mal leicht, mal schwer.

Was bin ich? ... Das Gewässer

---

(I can be a small pond or large like a sea,
I flow as a river or lie peacefully.
Fish swim within me, boats sail across me to and fro.
I am a collection of water, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.)

(What am I?
... A body of water / Das Gewässer)

💡 More Tidbits

Word Formation:

The word Gewässer is a collective noun. It is formed by:

• The prefix ge-: This prefix often forms collective nouns in German (e.g., Gebirge - mountain range, Geflügel - poultry, Gebäck - pastries).
• The stem word Wasser (water).
• The suffix -er (here appearing as the umlaut ä in the stem and the r at the end).

Ecological Significance: Gewässer (bodies of water) are vital ecosystems and play a central role in the water cycle and for biodiversity.