das  Hormon

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/hɔʁˈmoːn/

🧬 What exactly is a 'Hormon'?

The German word das Hormon (noun, neuter) refers to a biochemical messenger substance produced naturally by the body or synthetically. Hormones are produced and released by specialized cells or glands (e.g., *Schilddrüse* - thyroid gland, *Bauchspeicheldrüse* - pancreas, *Nebennieren* - adrenal glands). They travel through the bloodstream (*Blutkreislauf*) to target cells or organs, where they trigger specific reactions or regulatory processes.

Think of *Hormone* like little couriers 📬 in the body, delivering messages to control important functions such as growth (*Wachstum*), metabolism (*Stoffwechsel*), reproduction (*Fortpflanzung*), and mood (*Stimmung*).

There is only one gender for this word: das Hormon. No risk of confusion with other articles! ✅

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Declining 'das Hormon'

The word *Hormon* is a noun of the neuter gender (*sächlich*). Here is its declension:

💡 Example Sentences

1. Das Schilddrüsenhormon reguliert den Stoffwechsel.
   (The thyroid hormone regulates metabolism.)
2. Die Wirkung des Hormons ist noch nicht vollständig erforscht.
   (The effect of the hormone has not yet been fully researched.)
3. Der Arzt verabreichte dem Patienten ein Hormon.
   (The doctor administered a hormone to the patient.)
4. Stress kann die Produktion bestimmter Hormone beeinflussen.
   (Stress can influence the production of certain hormones.)
5. Viele Prozesse im Körper werden durch Hormone gesteuert.
   (Many processes in the body are controlled by hormones.)

💬 How is 'Hormon' used?

The term *Hormon* is primarily used in medical, biological, and physiological contexts. It's a technical term but is also known in general language, especially when discussing topics like puberty (*Pubertät*), pregnancy (*Schwangerschaft*), menopause (*Wechseljahre*), stress (*Stress*), or specific diseases (e.g., *Diabetes*, thyroid disorders - *Schilddrüsenfunktionsstörungen*).

• Typical uses: *Hormonspiegel* (hormone level), *Hormonhaushalt* (hormonal balance), *Hormontherapie* (hormone therapy), *Wachstumshormon* (growth hormone), *Sexualhormon* (sex hormone), *Stresshormon* (stress hormone).
• Context: People talk about the release (*Ausschüttung*), production (*Produktion*), effect (*Wirkung*), or deficiency (*Mangel*) of hormones.
• Comparison: While *Hormon* is a specific messenger substance, terms like *Enzym* (enzyme) or *Neurotransmitter* are other types of biochemical molecules with different functions. An enzyme speeds up reactions, a neurotransmitter transmits signals between nerve cells, and a hormone often acts via the bloodstream on distant cells.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'das Hormon'

Article mnemonic (das): Think of das Signal or das Zeichen (the sign/signal) that a hormone sends in the body. Both *Signal* and *Zeichen* are neuter (das). Also, many scientific or technical terms borrowed from other languages are neuter in German, like *das* Atom, *das* System, *das* Protein, and *das* Hormon.

Meaning mnemonic: Hormones are like the body's *remote* controls - they trigger actions from afar. Or connect it to its Greek origin "hormao" (to set in motion, urge on) - hormones *move* things along in the body.

🔄 Synonyms & Opposites

😂 A little Hormone Joke

German: Warum sind Hormone schlechte Pokerspieler?
Weil sie immer ihre Gefühle ausschütten! 😄

English: Why are hormones bad poker players?
Because they always spill their feelings! 😄 (A play on words, as "ausschütten" means both "to secrete/release" hormones and "to pour out/spill" feelings).

📜 Poem about Hormones

German:

Das Hormon, ein kleiner Bote,
Reist durch die Blutbahn, ohne Quote.
Mal bringt es Wachstum, mal Gefühl,
Steuert den Körper, kühl und still.

Vom Kopf bis Fuß, es wirkt geschwind,
Ein Wunderwerk, wie jedes Kind.
Mal Glück, mal Stress, mal tief, mal hoch,
Das Hormon, es lenkt uns doch.

English Translation:

The hormone, a little messenger,
Travels the bloodstream, no set measure.
Sometimes brings growth, sometimes a feeling,
Controls the body, cool and revealing.

From head to toe, it works so fast,
A wondrous thing, like children cast.
Sometimes joy, sometimes stress, low or high,
The hormone guides us, by and by.

❓ Hormone Riddle

German:

Ich bin ein unsichtbarer Bote,
Reise im Blut, kenn' keine Quote.
Mal mach ich müde, mal ganz wach,
Steu're Gefühle, Freud' und Krach.
Ich helfe wachsen, groß und klein,
Was könnte ich wohl sein?

Lösung: Das Hormon

English Translation:

I am an invisible messenger,
Travel in blood, know no set measure.
Sometimes I make you tired, sometimes wide awake,
Control feelings, joy, and ache.
I help things grow, both big and small,
What could I possibly be, after all?

Solution: The hormone (das Hormon)

🤓 Trivia & Origin

Word Origin (Etymology):

The word *Hormon* was coined in the early 20th century by British physiologists Ernest Starling and William Bayliss. It derives from the Greek word ὁρμᾶν (hormān), meaning "to set in motion," "to urge on," or "to stimulate." This aptly describes the function of these messenger substances.

Trivia:

• The first hormone discovered was Secretin (in 1902), which stimulates the pancreas (*Bauchspeicheldrüse*) to release digestive juices.
• There are over 50 different known hormones in the human body.
• Plants also produce hormones (*Phytohormone*) that regulate their growth and development.