das
Stückchen
🧩 What does "das Stückchen" mean?
Das Stückchen (noun, neuter) is the diminutive form of das Stück (the piece).
- It signifies a small piece of something larger.
- It's often used to describe something as small, cute, or insignificant.
- Like all nouns ending in the suffix -chen, it is neuter and therefore always takes the article das.
🚨 There are no exceptions regarding the article for words ending in -chen; they are always neuter.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Deverbal nouns → immer neutral.
These are nouns derived from verbs. They are also called Verbalsubstantive or Verbalnomen.
Diminutives (-chen, -lein, ...) → immer neutral.
Always when the word is diminished; often (but not always!) with the endings -chen, -lein, -li.
📐 Grammar of "das Stückchen" in Detail
"Das Stückchen" is a neuter noun. Its declension follows the standard pattern for neuter nouns. The plural form is identical to the singular form.
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | das | Stückchen |
| Genitive (Possessive) | des | Stückchens |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | dem | Stückchen |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | das | Stückchen |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Stückchen |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Stückchen |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | den | Stückchen |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Stückchen |
Example Sentences
- Gib mir bitte nur ein kleines Stückchen Kuchen.
Please give me only a small piece of cake. - Er zerbrach das Brot in viele kleine Stückchen.
He broke the bread into many small pieces. - Von der Wahrheit hat er nur ein Stückchen verraten.
He only revealed a little piece of the truth. - Die Katze spielte mit einem Stückchen Papier.
The cat played with a little piece of paper.
🗣️ How to use "Stückchen"?
"Stückchen" is used in various contexts, mostly when referring to something small:
- With food: Ein Stückchen Kuchen (a little piece of cake), ein Stückchen Schokolade (a little piece of chocolate), ein Stückchen Fleisch (a little piece of meat). Here, it emphasizes a small portion.
- With materials: Ein Stückchen Holz (a little piece of wood), ein Stückchen Stoff (a little piece of fabric), ein Stückchen Papier (a little piece of paper). Refers to small parts or scraps.
- Figuratively/Abstractly: Ein Stückchen Wahrheit (a little bit of truth), ein Stückchen Glück (a little piece of happiness), ein Stückchen Erinnerung (a small piece of memory). Here it means a small part of something intangible.
- Diminutive/Affection: Sometimes used affectionately to call something small, e.g., „Du bist mein kleines Stückchen Glück“ (You are my little piece of happiness).
Compared to das Stück (the piece), das Stückchen always emphasizes the smallness, and sometimes the insignificance or cuteness, of the part.
🧠 Mnemonics for "das Stückchen"
For the article: Remember: All German words ending in -chen are like little 'child-things' – and das Kind (the child) is neuter. So: -chen makes it neuter -> das Stückchen.
For the meaning: Imagine taking a large Stück (piece) and making it tiny-tiny with the "-chen" suffix. The result is a small Stückchen (little piece).
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar words):
⚠️ Attention: Das Stück is the base word, while das Stückchen is the diminutive form. Don't confuse them!
😂 A little joke
Warum hat das Brot Angst vorm Bäcker?
Weil er ihm immer ein Stückchen wegnimmt!
--- Translation ---
Why is the bread afraid of the baker?
Because he always takes a little piece away from it!
✍️ Poem about a Stückchen
Ein Stückchen Glück, ganz winzig klein,
passt in die hohle Hand hinein.
Ein Stückchen Kuchen, süß und zart,
auf seine ganz besond're Art.
Ein Stückchen vom großen Ganzen nur,
ein Teil der Welt, ein Teil Natur.
--- Translation ---
A little piece of luck, so tiny and small,
fits right into the palm, encompassing all.
A little piece of cake, sweet and tender,
in its very own special splendour.
Just a little piece of the whole wide view,
a part of the world, a part of nature too.
❓ Little Riddle
Ich bin ein Teil, doch nie allein,
von Kuchen, Holz, Papier so fein.
Mit "-chen" hinten werd ich klein,
mein Artikel muss sächlich sein.
Was bin ich?
Lösung: das Stückchen
--- Translation ---
I am a part, but never alone,
of cake, or wood, or paper shown.
With "-chen" at the end, I become small,
my article must be neuter for all.
What am I?
Solution: das Stückchen (the little piece)
ℹ️ Other Info
Word Formation: The word „Stückchen“ is formed by adding the diminutive suffix -chen to the base word Stück (piece).
Diminutives: The endings -chen and -lein are the most common diminutive suffixes in German. They always make the noun neuter (das) and often trigger an umlaut on the stem vowel (e.g., der Baum -> das Bäumchen), although this isn't visible with Stück which already has 'ü'.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Stückchen?
The word „Stückchen“ is a diminutive noun ending in -chen. All diminutive nouns ending in -chen or -lein in German are neuter. Therefore, the correct article is always das Stückchen.
