das
Körpergewicht
⚖️ What does Körpergewicht mean?
Das Körpergewicht (noun, neuter) refers to the physical mass of a living being, especially a human or animal. It's a measure of how heavy a body is and is usually stated in kilograms (kg) or pounds (lbs).
It's an important indicator of health and fitness, used in many contexts from medical check-ups to sports competitions.
Because it's a compound word formed from der Körper (the body) and das Gewicht (the weight), the last part of the word (Gewicht) determines the article. Therefore, it's always das Körpergewicht.
🧐 Grammar of Körpergewicht in Detail
The word "Körpergewicht" is a neuter noun. Therefore, the article is always "das". It's mostly used in the singular because one usually refers to the one weight of a person. The plural ("die Körpergewichte") is grammatically correct but used less frequently, for example, when comparing the weights of several people or animals.
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das | Körpergewicht |
| Genitive | des | Körpergewichtes / Körpergewichts |
| Dative | dem | Körpergewicht / Körpergewichte |
| Accusative | das | Körpergewicht |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Körpergewichte |
| Genitive | der | Körpergewichte |
| Dative | den | Körpergewichten |
| Accusative | die | Körpergewichte |
Example Sentences
- Der Arzt notierte das Körpergewicht des Patienten. (The doctor noted the patient's body weight.)
- Die Kontrolle des Körpergewichts ist wichtig für die Gesundheit. (Controlling body weight is important for health.)
- Mit regelmäßigem Sport kann man dem Körpergewicht entgegenwirken. (With regular exercise, one can counteract body weight gain. - Note: Dative case often implies 'counteracting' or 'relating to')
- Er versucht, sein Körpergewicht zu reduzieren. (He is trying to reduce his body weight.)
- Die Körpergewichte der Teilnehmer wurden vor dem Wettkampf gemessen. (The body weights of the participants were measured before the competition. - Plural example)
🩺 When and how to use "Körpergewicht"?
"Das Körpergewicht" is a very common word, especially in the fields of:
- Medicine and Health: For assessing health status, during diets, for calculating the Body Mass Index (BMI). (Medizin und Gesundheit)
- Sports and Fitness: For classification into weight categories, for monitoring training progress. (Sport und Fitness)
- Everyday Life: When talking about gaining or losing weight, when weighing oneself at home. (Alltag)
Typical verbs and expressions related to "Körpergewicht" include:
- das Körpergewicht halten (to maintain body weight)
- das Körpergewicht reduzieren / verringern (to reduce / decrease body weight)
- an Körpergewicht zunehmen / verlieren (to gain / lose body weight)
- das Körpergewicht kontrollieren / überwachen (to control / monitor body weight)
- das Idealgewicht / Normalgewicht / Übergewicht / Untergewicht (ideal weight / normal weight / overweight / underweight - related to body weight)
It's a rather neutral and objective term compared to colloquial expressions like "Speck" (bacon/fat) or "Pfunde" (pounds/flab).
💡 Mnemonics for "das Körpergewicht"
For the article "das": Think of das Maß (the measure) or das Gewicht (the weight). Since the core word is "Gewicht" and it's "das Gewicht", the compound word is also "das Körpergewicht". Or imagine: A newborn baby (neuter, "das Kind") is weighed – das Kind has das Körpergewicht.
For the meaning: Picture a scale (die Waage). What does it measure? It measures the mass of your body – das Gewicht of your Körper – hence, das Körpergewicht (body weight).
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Similar Words)
- Gewicht: The more general word, can also refer to objects.
- Körpermasse: A more precise, physical term (body mass).
- Leibesmasse: Somewhat archaic or more formal (body mass).
Antonyms (Opposing Concepts)
There are no direct antonyms. Opposing concepts might include:
- Gewichtslosigkeit: Weightlessness (e.g., in space).
- Leichtigkeit: Lightness (more of a quality than a measure).
- Immaterialität: Immateriality (the absence of a body or weight).
Related Terms
- BMI (Body-Mass-Index): An index relating body weight to height.
- Idealgewicht: Ideal weight.
- Übergewicht / Untergewicht: Overweight / underweight.
- Waage: The scale (instrument for measuring body weight).
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt der Arzt den Patienten: "Haben Sie Ihr Körpergewicht in letzter Zeit kontrolliert?"
Antwortet der Patient: "Ja, ständig! Aber es weigert sich einfach, mir zu gehorchen."
Translation:
The doctor asks the patient: "Have you controlled your body weight recently?"
The patient replies: "Yes, constantly! But it simply refuses to obey me."
📜 Poem about Weight
Das Körpergewicht, mal Freud, mal Leid,
zeigt auf der Waage seine Zahl bereit.
Mal hoch, mal tief, ein stetes Schwanken,
lässt uns um Kilos manchmal bangen.
Doch wichtiger als jede Ziffer,
ist Wohlgefühl, nicht blinder Eifer.
Gesundheit zählt, das ist doch klar,
egal was auf der Anzeige war.
Translation:
Body weight, sometimes joy, sometimes sorrow,
shows its number ready on the scale tomorrow.
Sometimes high, sometimes low, a constant sway,
makes us worry about kilos sometimes during the day.
But more important than any digit's might,
is feeling good, not blind zealous fight.
Health matters, that's truly clear,
no matter what the display held dear.
❓ Who am I? A Riddle
Ich habe keinen Mund, doch sag dir viel,
über Gesundheit und dein Lebensstil.
Mal steig ich, mal fall ich, tanz auf und ab,
manch einer hält mich ständig auf Trab.
Der Arzt fragt nach mir, der Sportler kennt mich gut,
ich messe die Masse, gib auf mich Acht, hab Mut!
Was bin ich?
Translation:
I have no mouth, yet tell you much,
about health and your lifestyle's touch.
Sometimes I rise, sometimes I fall, dancing up and down,
some keep me constantly on the run, all over town.
The doctor asks for me, the athlete knows me well,
I measure the mass, watch out for me, be brave, do tell!
What am I?
Solution: Das Körpergewicht (Body weight)
🧩 Other Interesting Details
Word Composition
"Das Körpergewicht" is a compound noun (ein Kompositum), composed of:
As with many German compound nouns, the last word (Grundwort), here "Gewicht", determines the article and grammatical gender of the entire word. Since "Gewicht" is neuter (das Gewicht), "Körpergewicht" is also neuter (das Körpergewicht).
Trivia
Average body weight varies significantly depending on age, gender, ethnicity, and geographic region. It is a key parameter in epidemiological studies concerning public health.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Körpergewicht?
The German word "Körpergewicht" is a neuter noun. Therefore, the correct article is always "das" (e.g., das Körpergewicht). It means body weight and is primarily used in the singular.