das  Ufer

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈuːfɐ/

🌊 What does "das Ufer" mean?

The German word das Ufer refers to the edge area where land meets a body of water. It can describe the edge of a river (Fluss), a lake (See), or the sea (Meer).

• Flussufer: River bank
• Seeufer: Lakeshore
• Meeresufer/Küste: Seashore / Coast (often also called Küste or Strand, depending on its characteristics).

There is only one article for "Ufer" – das – making it easy to remember. It's a neuter noun.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: das Ufer

"Ufer" is a noun (Substantiv) of neuter gender (Neutrum). The article is always das.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

📝 Example Sentences

1. Wir machten ein Picknick am Ufer des Sees. (We had a picnic on the shore of the lake.)
2. Das Schiff erreichte sicher das rettende Ufer. (The ship safely reached the saving shore.)
3. Die Kinder bauen Sandburgen am Ufer. (The children are building sandcastles on the shore.)
4. Von diesem Ufer aus hat man eine tolle Aussicht. (From this bank/shore, you have a great view.)
5. Starke Strömungen unterspülen das Ufer. (Strong currents are undermining the bank.)

💡 How to use "das Ufer"

"Das Ufer" is used to describe the transitional area between land and water. The specific context (river, lake, sea) is often clear from the conversation or accompanying words.

• Am Ufer: Describes a position right at the edge of the water. (Wir sitzen am Ufer. - We are sitting on the bank/shore.)
• Ans Ufer: Describes movement towards the water's edge. (Er schwamm ans Ufer. - He swam to the shore.)
• Vom Ufer: Describes movement away from the water's edge. (Das Boot stieß vom Ufer ab. - The boat pushed off from the shore.)
• Flussufer, Seeufer, Meeresufer: More precise terms using compound words (river bank, lakeshore, seashore).
• Idiom: "Zu neuen Ufern aufbrechen" literally means "to set off for new shores", signifying starting something new or pursuing new goals.

Compared to Küste (mostly for the sea and often geographically larger) or Strand (typically sandy or pebbly, suitable for swimming), Ufer is a more general term for the edge of any body of water.

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Ufer"

Article Mnemonic: Think of neuter things associated with landscapes: das Land (the land), das Wasser (the water). The place where they meet, das Ufer, is also neuter. Or think: "Uh, for real? It's 'das'?" Remembering the slight surprise might help fix 'das' in your mind.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone saying "Ooh!" with wonder when they reach the shore (Ufer) after a long journey across water. Or, you have to go Over (across the water) to reach the far (fern) Ufer.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Note: While Küste and Strand are similar, Ufer is the most general term for the land-water boundary.

😂 A Little Joke

German: Warum nehmen Fische das Ufer nicht ernst? – Weil es ihnen zu trocken ist!

English: Why don't fish take the shore (das Ufer) seriously? – Because it's too dry for them! 😄

📜 Poem about the Shore

German:
Am Ufer still und breit,
Wo Wasser sanft ans Land gleit'.
Die Wellen flüstern leis,
Ein Ort für Rast und Reis'.
Ob Fluss, ob See, ob Meer,
Das Ufer lockt so sehr.

English Translation:
On the shore, quiet and wide,
Where water gently touches the side.
The waves whisper low,
A place for rest and go.
Be it river, lake, or sea,
The shore beckons, you see.

🧩 Little Riddle

German:
Ich habe Sand, Stein oder Gras,
Ich küsse das Wasser, doch bleibe oft nass.
Ich bin das Ende vom Land, der Anfang vom Nass.
Mal schmal, mal breit, was bin ich denn, sag? Lösung: Das Ufer

English Translation:
I have sand, stone, or grass,
I kiss the water, but often get wet, alas.
I am the end of the land, the start of the wet mass.
Sometimes narrow, sometimes wide, what am I, tell me fast? Answer: The shore (Das Ufer)

➕ Other Information

Word Compounds (Wortzusammensetzungen): "Ufer" is often part of compound nouns that specify the location:

• Flussufer: River bank
• Seeufer: Lakeshore
• Meeresufer: Seashore
• Uferböschung: Embankment / Slope at the shore
• Uferpromenade: Waterfront promenade / Walkway along the shore
• Uferbefestigung: Shoreline reinforcement / Revetment

Interesting Phrase: The expression "zu neuen Ufern aufbrechen" means "to set out for new shores", idiomatically used for starting something new or embarking on a new venture.