das  Lager

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈlaːɡɐ/

📦 What does "das Lager" mean?

The word das Lager is a German noun (Substantiv) with several meanings, often depending on the context:

• Warehouse/Storeroom: A building or place for storing goods. Example: Die Möbel werden im Lager aufbewahrt. (The furniture is stored in the warehouse.)
• Camp/Encampment: A place where people live (often temporarily) under basic conditions, e.g., for camping, festivals, or refugees. Example: Die Pfadfinder schlugen ihr Lager am Waldrand auf. (The scouts set up their camp at the edge of the forest.)
• Bearing (Mechanical): A component in machines or devices that reduces friction between moving parts (e.g., Kugellager - ball bearing, Gleitlager - plain bearing). Example: Das Lager der Antriebswelle muss ersetzt werden. (The bearing of the drive shaft needs to be replaced.)
• Stock/Supply: A quantity of something that is stored. Example: Wir haben noch einen großen Lager an Konserven im Keller. (We still have a large stock of canned goods in the cellar.)
• (Social/Political) Camp/Faction: A group of people with similar opinions or interests. Example: Die Gesellschaft ist in verschiedene politische Lager gespalten. (Society is divided into different political camps.)

🚨 Although "der Lager" (meaning 'someone who stores things') could theoretically exist, this form is extremely rare and irrelevant in common usage. Focus on das Lager.

📐 Grammar of "das Lager" in Detail

The noun "Lager" is neuter (sächlich) and takes the article das. Here are the declension tables:

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

💡 Example Sentences

1. Warehouse: Der LKW liefert die Waren direkt ans Lager.
   (The truck delivers the goods directly to the warehouse.)
2. Camp: Im Sommer fahren viele Kinder ins Lager.
   (In summer, many children go to camp.)
3. Engineering: Ohne ein funktionierendes Lager dreht sich das Rad nicht richtig.
   (Without a functioning bearing, the wheel doesn't turn properly.)
4. Stock: Unser Lager an Kaffee ist fast leer.
   (Our stock of coffee is almost empty.)
5. Faction: Er gehört zum konservativen Lager.
   (He belongs to the conservative camp/faction.)

🗣️ How "das Lager" is Used

The usage of das Lager strongly depends on its specific meaning:

• In commerce and logistics: Here, "das Lager" almost always refers to a Warenlager (warehouse) or Depot. You might hear phrases like "etwas auf Lager haben" (to have something in stock) or "etwas ins Lager bringen" (to bring something to the warehouse).
• In camping and travel: "Das Lager" here means a Zeltlager (tent camp), Camp, or a simple sleeping place outdoors ("ein Lager aufschlagen" - to set up camp).
• In technology and mechanical engineering: Here, "das Lager" is a specific Bauteil (component) like a Kugellager (ball bearing), Gleitlager (plain bearing), etc.
• Figuratively: When talking about political or social groups, people speak of different "Lager" (e.g., das linke Lager - the left camp, das rechte Lager - the right camp).

⚠️ Be sure to infer the meaning from the context. A sentence like "Wir brauchen ein neues Lager" (We need a new Lager) can be interpreted very differently depending on the situation (a new warehouse, a new campsite, a new bearing).

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Lager"

Article Mnemonic (das): Think of das Haus (the house). A Lager(haus) is often a large house for goods. Many German nouns ending in -er are masculine (der), but das Lager is an important neuter exception, like das Fenster (window) or das Messer (knife). Imagine the neutral (das) kid's camp (Kinderlager) needs a lot of provisions from the store (dem Lager).

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the verb "lagern" (to store, to camp). What can you "lagern"?

1. Goods -> das Lagerhaus (warehouse)
2. Yourself (temporarily) -> das Lager (camp)
3. A rotating shaft -> das Lager (bearing)

All meanings relate to storage, placement, or a location.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms for "Lager"

⚠️ Similar but Different Words

• lagern (verb): The act of storing or camping. (Wir lagern die Kisten. / We are storing the boxes. Wir lagern am Fluss. / We are camping by the river.)
• Der Lagermeister: The person in charge of a warehouse (warehouse manager).

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter im Lager: "Können Sie Gabelstapler fahren?"
Antwortet der Mitarbeiter: "Keine Ahnung, wie schnell kann das Ding denn rennen?"

(Translation: The boss asks the new warehouse employee: "Can you drive a forklift?"
The employee replies: "I don't know, how fast can that thing run?")

📜 Poem about das Lager

Im großen Lager, hoch und breit,
steht Ware für die Ewigkeit.
Palette hier, Karton dort,
an diesem stillen, großen Ort.

Am Fluss, da schläft ein andres Lager fein,
bei Mondenschein und Sternenschein.
Im Zelt wird leise dann geträumt,
was man am Tag zuvor versäumt.

Und tief in Technik, kaum zu seh'n,
muss sich ein kleines Lager dreh'n.
Es sorgt für Lauf und für Bewegung,
erhält die ganze Welt in Schwingung.

(Translation:
In the large warehouse, high and wide, / Goods stand for eternity. / Pallet here, carton there, / In this quiet, large place.

By the river, another camp sleeps finely, / By moonlight and starlight. / In the tent, dreams are quietly dreamt, / Of what was missed the day before.

And deep in technology, barely seen, / A small bearing must turn. / It ensures running and movement, / Keeps the whole world vibrating.)

❓ A Riddle for You

Ich kann ein Haus für Kisten sein,
ein Platz im Wald, ganz still und fein.
Ich helf' Maschinen, sich zu dreh'n,
und lass oft Gruppen entstehen.

Was bin ich?

(Translation:
I can be a house for boxes,
A place in the woods, quiet and fine.
I help machines to turn,
And often let groups arise.

What am I?
... das Lager)

🧩 More about the Word "Lager"

Word Compounds (Komposita): The word "Lager" is part of many compound words reflecting its various meanings:

• Warenlager: Warehouse for goods
• Zeltlager: Tent camp
• Kugellager: Ball bearing
• Lagerfeuer: Campfire
• Lagerhalle: Warehouse building/hall
• Lagerbestand: Stock level/inventory
• Ferienlager: Holiday camp (for children)
• Flüchtlingslager: Refugee camp
• Lagerkoller: Cabin fever (lit. 'camp frenzy', psychological state from prolonged confinement)

Origin (Herkunft): The word comes from the Old High German "legar", meaning "place of lying/resting". This original meaning is still reflected in the sense of a camp or encampment.