das  Rekordjahr

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʁɛˈkɔʁtˌjaːɐ̯/

📚 What exactly is a 'Rekordjahr'?

Das Rekordjahr (noun, neuter) refers to a Jahr (year) in which one or more records were set or broken in a specific field (e.g., Wirtschaft - economy, Sport, Wetter - weather). It signifies a year of exceptional achievements or events.

It's a compound noun formed from:

• der Rekord (the record, top performance)
• das Jahr (the year, a period of 12 months)

Since the base word Jahr is neuter (das Jahr), Rekordjahr is also neuter: das Rekordjahr.

🧐 Grammar Under the Microscope

Rekordjahr is a noun of neuter gender (Neutrum). It is declined like its base word Jahr.

💬 Example Sentences

1. Das vergangene Jahr war ein echtes Rekordjahr für unser Unternehmen.
   Last year was a true record year for our company.
2. Wir blicken auf ein Rekordjahr zurück.
   We look back on a record year.
3. Die Athletin feierte nach mehreren Rekordjahren ihren Rücktritt.
   The athlete celebrated her retirement after several record years.
4. Die Umsätze des letzten Rekordjahres konnten bisher nicht wieder erreicht werden.
   The revenues of the last record year have not been reached again so far.

🗣️ How to Use 'Rekordjahr'?

The term 'Rekordjahr' is frequently used in reports and news to highlight special successes or extremes within a year.

• Economy & Finance (Wirtschaft & Finanzen): A company achieves the highest profit or turnover in its history. Example: BMW meldet ein Rekordjahr (BMW reports a record year).
• Sports (Sport): An athlete or team breaks multiple records in one year. Example: Es war ein Rekordjahr für den Schwimmsport (It was a record year for swimming).
• Weather & Climate (Wetter & Klima): A year with extreme weather events (hottest year, driest year since records began). Example: 2023 war global ein Rekordjahr bei den Temperaturen (Globally, 2023 was a record year for temperatures).
• Tourism (Tourismus): A country or region registers the highest number of visitors. Example: Mallorca erlebte ein Rekordjahr im Tourismus (Mallorca experienced a record year in tourism).
• Personal: Less common, but possible to describe a year full of personal bests. Example: Für mich war es läuferisch ein Rekordjahr (For me, it was a record year in terms of running).

It always implies a positive or at least noteworthy peak, even if the record itself could be negative (e.g., Rekordjahr an Waldbränden - record year for forest fires).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: The base word is 'das Jahr' (the year). Like many German compound nouns, the gender is determined by the last part of the word. So: das Jahr -> das Rekordjahr. Easy, right? 😉

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of a trophy (for the Rekord 🏆) and a calendar (for the Jahr 📅). A Rekordjahr is when the calendar is full of trophies for achieved records!

↔️ Opposites and Alternatives

Related Terms

• Rekordmonat: A month with record results ('record month').
• Rekordsaison: A season (e.g., in sports or tourism) with records ('record season').
• Rekordumsatz / Rekordgewinn: Specific economic records ('record turnover' / 'record profit').

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Chef den Buchhalter: "War das letzte Jahr wirklich ein Rekordjahr?"
Antwortet der Buchhalter: "Ja, Chef! Wir hatten rekordverdächtig viele unbezahlte Rechnungen!"

--- Translation ---

The boss asks the accountant: "Was last year really a record year?"
The accountant replies: "Yes, boss! We had a record number of unpaid invoices!"

✍️ A Poem about the Rekordjahr

Das Jahr ging schnell, die Zeit verrann,
Ein Rekordjahr, man glaubt es kaum.
Die Zahlen hoch, der Jubel groß,
Ein Erfolgslauf, famos! Ob Sport, ob Wirtschaft, ganz egal,
Bestleistung war das Ideal.
Mögen viele solcher folgen noch,
Das wünscht man sich, und zwar ad hoc!

--- Translation ---

The year went fast, time flew by,
A record year, one can hardly believe.
The numbers high, the cheering great,
A successful run, fabulous!
Whether sports or business, no matter what,
Top performance was the ideal.
May many more like this follow,
That's what one wishes for, right away!

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Zeitraum, zwölf Monate lang,
Geprägt von Jubel und Gesang.
Bestmarken fallen, alt und neu,
In Sport, Geschäft und Allerlei.

Wie nennt man mich, wenn alles spitze war?

--- Translation ---

I am a period, twelve months long,
Marked by cheering and song.
Records fall, old and new,
In sports, business, and all sorts of things.

What am I called when everything was top-notch?

Solution: Das Rekordjahr

✨ More Info about the Rekordjahr

Word Composition:

'Rekordjahr' is a compound noun (ein Kompositum), meaning it's composed of two independent words:

• Determinant (Bestimmungswort): Rekord (specifies what kind of year it is)
• Base word (Grundwort): Jahr (determines the grammatical gender and the basic meaning)

Context is Key: The meaning of 'Rekordjahr' heavily depends on the context. A Rekordjahr for a winemaker (excellent harvest) might simultaneously be a Rekordjahr for meteorologists (extreme drought), which was problematic for the winemaker. It often describes only a specific metric.