das  Gründungsjahr

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈɡʁʏndʊŋsˌjaːɐ̯/

📅 What does "das Gründungsjahr" mean?

Das Gründungsjahr (noun, neuter) refers to the specific calendar year in which something was officially founded or established. This typically applies to:

• 🏢 Companies, firms, organizations
• ⚽ Clubs, associations
• 🏛️ Institutions, facilities (e.g., universities, museums)
• 🏙️ Cities or municipalities (less common, as founding dates are often not fixed to a specific year)
• 🎉 Events or initiatives that take place regularly

It's a compound word formed from "Gründung" (foundation, establishment) and "Jahr" (year).

⚠️ Attention: It always refers to the year, not the exact date (for that, there is "der Gründungstag" - the founding day).

📝 Grammar and Declension of "das Gründungsjahr"

The word "Gründungsjahr" is neuter. It is used with the article "das".

Singular Declension

Plural Declension

Example Sentences

1. Das Gründungsjahr des Unternehmens ist 1995.
   (The company's founding year is 1995.)
2. Wir recherchieren die Gründungsjahre verschiedener Vereine.
   (We are researching the founding years of various clubs.)
3. Im Gedenken an das Gründungsjahr findet eine Feier statt.
   (A celebration is taking place in commemoration of the founding year.)
4. Kennen Sie das Gründungsjahr Ihrer Heimatstadt?
   (Do you know the founding year of your hometown?)

💡 How is "Gründungsjahr" used?

"Das Gründungsjahr" is mainly used in the context of history, business, and organizations. It serves to name the temporal origin of an entity.

• Historical Context: Specifying the Gründungsjahr of states, cities, or important institutions.
• Business Context: A company's Gründungsjahr is often part of its identity and history (e.g., on websites, in reports).
• Organizational Context: Associations, clubs, or foundations state their Gründungsjahr to show their tradition and stability.

It is often used in formal texts, historical accounts, company profiles, or for anniversaries.

Comparison: While "das Gründungsjahr" refers to the whole year, "der Gründungstag" is the exact date, and "die Gründungszeit" is a less specific period around the time of foundation.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of "das Jahr" (the year). The last word in a compound noun often determines its article. "Jahr" is neuter, so "das Gründungsjahr" is also neuter.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine laying the 'Grundstein' (foundation stone) for something new in a specific 'Jahr' (year). The foundation stone is laid in the Gründungs-Jahr.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms for Gründungsjahr

Similar but Different Words:

• Der Gründungstag: The exact date of foundation (day, month, year).
• Die Gründungsurkunde: The official document confirming the foundation.
• Der Gründer / Die Gründerin: The person(s) who founded something.

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Wissen Sie eigentlich, was unser Gründungsjahr war?" Antwortet der Mitarbeiter: "Nicht genau, aber es muss schon eine Weile her sein, die Computer sehen ziemlich alt aus!" 😉

Translation: The boss asks the new employee: "Do you actually know what our founding year was?" The employee replies: "Not exactly, but it must have been a while ago, the computers look pretty old!" 😉

📜 A Little Poem

Ein Schild an der Wand, ganz stolz und klar,
zeigt allen das Gründungsjahr.
Lang ist's her, die Zeit verrinnt,
seit damals weht ein neuer Wind.
Doch die Idee, sie lebt noch fort,
an diesem einst gegründeten Ort.

Translation:
A sign on the wall, proud and clear,
shows everyone the founding year.
It's long ago, time slips away,
since then a new wind blows today.
But the idea, it still lives on,
in this place once built upon.

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin eine Zahl, meist vierstellig und alt,
erzähle von Ursprung, von Mut und Gestalt.
Auf Urkunden steh' ich, in Chroniken auch,
vom Start eines Werkes, so ist es der Brauch.

Was bin ich?

I am a number, usually four digits and old,
telling of origin, of courage bold.
On deeds I stand, in chronicles too,
of a work's beginning, as is custom's due.

What am I?

Solution: Das Gründungsjahr (The founding year)

🧐 Other Information

Word Composition:

"Das Gründungsjahr" is a compound noun, composed of:

• Die Gründung: Noun, derived from the verb "gründen" (to found, to establish).
• Das Jahr: Noun, meaning a unit of time of 365 or 366 days.

The connecting element "-s-" ("Gründungs-") links the two parts.

Trivia:

Knowing Gründungsjahre is particularly popular in quiz shows or historical research. Famous founding years include, for example, 1492 (Columbus's discovery of America, often seen as a symbolic year) or 1871 (founding of the German Empire).