das
Kollektiv
👥 What Exactly is a Kollektiv?
Das Kollektiv (noun, neuter) refers to a group of people connected by common goals, interests, tasks, or characteristics, often acting or viewed as a single entity. It emphasizes the communal aspect over the individual.
It can refer to various types of groups:
- A Arbeitskollektiv: A group of employees in a company, historically used especially in socialist systems.
- A Künstlerkollektiv: A group of artists who work or exhibit together.
- In a broader sense: Any form of community (Gemeinschaft) or organized group.
⚠️ Attention: The term can sometimes have a political or historical connotation (see Kollektivismus - collectivism), but it is also used neutrally for groups.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Many foreign words → mostly neutral.
There are many foreign words, we won't list them all.
🧐 Grammar: Declension of 'das Kollektiv'
The word "Kollektiv" is a noun of neuter gender (das). It is declined as follows:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das | Kollektiv |
| Genitive | des | Kollektivs |
| Dative | dem | Kollektiv |
| Accusative | das | Kollektiv |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kollektive |
| Genitive | der | Kollektive |
| Dative | den | Kollektiven |
| Accusative | die | Kollektive |
📝 Example Sentences
- Das Kollektiv entschied sich einstimmig für den neuen Vorschlag.
(The collective unanimously decided on the new proposal.) - Die Interessen des Kollektivs stehen hier im Vordergrund.
(The interests of the collective are paramount here.) - Wir arbeiten in einem kreativen Kollektiv zusammen.
(We work together in a creative collective.) - Viele landwirtschaftliche Kollektive wurden nach dem Krieg gegründet.
(Many agricultural collectives were founded after the war.)
💡 Everyday Usage
The term "Kollektiv" is used in various contexts:
- Arbeitswelt (World of Work): Previously common for workforces (esp. in the GDR), less common today, sometimes still used for self-organized teams or cooperatives (Genossenschaften).
- Kunst & Kultur (Art & Culture): Often denotes groups of artists, musicians, or authors who realize projects together (e.g., the theatre group Rimini Protokoll).
- Soziologie & Politik (Sociology & Politics): Used to describe group identities, collective action, or social structures (e.g., in the context of Kollektivismus vs. Individualismus - collectivism vs. individualism).
- General: Can also simply refer to a group or community pursuing a common goal.
Distinction: While "Gruppe" (group) or "Team" are often more neutral, "Kollektiv" can carry a stronger emphasis on the shared spirit, ideology, or organizational form.
🧠 Mnemonics to Remember
For the article 'das': Think of das Team, das Ensemble, das Ganze (the whole) – abstract groups viewed as a unit are often neuter ('das') in German. Das Kollektiv is like the neutral container for many individuals.
For the meaning: "Kollektiv" sounds a bit like "collective" in English – a group collected together. Or think: many Kollegen (colleagues) are aktiv (active) together in a Kollektiv.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Die Gruppe: General term for several people.
- Die Gemeinschaft: Emphasizes the sense of belonging together.
- Das Team: More in a sports or professional context for a collaborating group.
- Die Genossenschaft: A specific legal form of association (cooperative).
- Das Ensemble: Often in the artistic field (music, theater).
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning)
- Das Individuum: The individual.
- Der/Die Einzelne: The single person (emphasizing non-membership in a group).
- Die Einzelperson: Formal term for one person.
⚠️ Similar but Different Words
- Kollekte (die): The collection of money, usually for charity or church purposes.
- Kollektion (die): A collection of objects, e.g., fashion collection.
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt der Chef das Kollektiv: "Wer von Ihnen glaubt an Telepathie?"
Alle heben die Hand.
Chef: "Gut, dann wissen Sie ja, was ich jetzt von Ihnen will!"
(Translation: The boss asks the collective: "Which of you believes in telepathy?"
Everyone raises their hand.
Boss: "Good, then you already know what I want from you now!")
✍️ Poem about the Kollektiv
Nicht einer allein, nein, viele im Bund,
Gemeinsam das Ziel, zu jeder Stund'.
Das ist die Kraft, die uns verband,
Im starken Kollektiv, Hand in Hand.
Ob Arbeit, Kunst, ob Freud, ob Leid,
Zusammen stark, für alle Zeit.
(Translation: Not one alone, no, many united, / Together the goal, at every hour. / That is the strength that bound us, / In the strong collective, hand in hand. / Whether work, art, joy, or sorrow, / Strong together, for all time.)
❓ Little Riddle
Ich bin kein Einzelner, doch hab' ein Ziel,
Besteh' aus vielen, das ist kein Spiel.
Mal Arbeit, mal Kunst, mal Denken vereint,
Als Einheit man uns oft meint.
Was bin ich? (Lösung: das Kollektiv)
(Translation: I am not an individual, yet I have a goal, / Consist of many, this is no game. / Sometimes work, sometimes art, sometimes thought united, / As a unit, we are often sighted.
What am I?
Answer: the collective / das Kollektiv)
🌐 Other Information
Word Origin: The word "Kollektiv" comes from the Latin adjective collectivus, meaning "accumulated" or "collective". It derives from the verb colligere, meaning "to collect" or "to gather together".
Related Terms: Kollektivismus (collectivism - political/social ideology), Kollektivierung (collectivization - transforming private property into community property), Kollektivvertrag (collective agreement/bargaining agreement).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kollektiv?
The correct article for Kollektiv is das: das Kollektiv (neuter). It refers to a group or community of people who share common goals or characteristics and often act as a single unit. The plural is die Kollektive.