das  Vokabular

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/fokaˈbulaːɐ̯/

📚 What does 'das Vokabular' mean?

Das Vokabular (noun, neuter) refers to the entirety of words in a language or a specific subject area that a person knows or uses. It's essentially the personal Wortschatz (vocabulary) or the stock of words in a text or discipline.

• General vocabulary: Words used in daily life.
• Technical/Specialized vocabulary (Fachvokabular): Specific terms from a particular field (e.g., medicine, technology).
• Active vs. Passive vocabulary (Aktiver vs. Passiver Wortschatz): Words one actively uses versus words one understands but doesn't necessarily use oneself.

The only article for this word is das. ⚠️ Don't confuse it with its plural form, Vokabulare, which is sometimes mistaken for a separate word.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Declension of Vokabular

The word "Vokabular" is a neuter noun. Its declension is as follows:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Um eine neue Sprache zu lernen, muss man viel Vokabular lernen.
   (To learn a new language, one has to learn a lot of vocabulary.)
2. Sein technisches Vokabular ist beeindruckend.
   (His technical vocabulary is impressive.)
3. Das Vokabular dieses Romans ist sehr anspruchsvoll.
   (The vocabulary of this novel is very sophisticated.)
4. Die verschiedenen Fachgebiete haben ihre eigenen spezifischen Vokabulare.
   (The different subject areas have their own specific vocabularies.)

💡 How to use 'Vokabular'?

"Vokabular" is used when talking about the stock of words – whether it belongs to a person, a language, a text, or a specific field.

• Context: Education, language learning, linguistics, literary criticism, technical discussions.
• Typical phrases: "sein Vokabular erweitern" (to expand one's vocabulary), "ein begrenztes Vokabular haben" (to have a limited vocabulary), "das Vokabular eines Textes analysieren" (to analyze the vocabulary of a text), "Fachvokabular benötigen" (to need specialized vocabulary).
• Distinction: While "Wortschatz" is often used synonymously and sounds more personal, "Vokabular" can more neutrally denote the entire word stock of a domain. "Lexikon" refers more to a reference book of words (dictionary/lexicon).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article 'das': Think of das Book (neuter) where you look up new words to expand your vocabulary. Or: Das great Knowledge (neuter) is stored in the vocabulary.

Meaning: Imagine Vowels (Vo-) and Consonants (-cab-) in a building kit (-ular) forming the words, which constitute das Vokabular (the vocabulary).

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Vokabular

Potential Confusion:

• Vokabel: Refers to a single word, usually in the context of learning (a vocabulary item). Das Vokabular is the sum of all Vokabeln.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Duden Angst vor dem Wörterbuch?

Weil es ein viel größeres Vokabular hat!

(Why is the Duden [famous German dictionary] afraid of the dictionary?)

(Because it has a much larger vocabulary!)

✍️ Poem about the Word

Das Vokabular, ein Schatz so klar,
Worte reiht es, wunderbar.
Ob alt, ob neu, ob groß, ob klein,
Es hilft uns, klug und weise sein.
Mit jedem Wort, das wir verstehen,
Wird unsre Welt viel bunter sehen.
Drum pflege es, dein Sprachrevier,
Das Wissen wächst dann hier mit dir.

(The vocabulary, a treasure so clear,
It lines up words, wonderfully near.
Whether old, whether new, whether large, whether small,
It helps us be clever and wise through it all.
With every word that we comprehend,
Our world becomes colorful, trends transcend.
So tend it well, your language domain,
Knowledge will grow here, again and again.)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin der Schatz, den jeder hegt,
Der in Büchern und im Kopfe lebt.
Mal bin ich groß, mal eher klein,
Ohne mich kannst du nicht sprachgewandt sein.
Ich wachse stetig, Tag für Tag,
Wenn man mich pflegt und lernen mag.

Was bin ich?

(I am the treasure everyone keeps,
That lives in books and the mind it steeps.
Sometimes I'm large, sometimes rather small,
Without me, you can't be eloquent at all.
I grow steadily, day by day,
If you nurture me and like to learn the way.)

What am I?

Solution: Das Vokabular (The vocabulary)

💡 Other Information

Word Origin (Wortherkunft): The word "Vokabular" comes from the Late Latin vocabularium, meaning "list of words" or "designation." This, in turn, derives from the Latin vocabulum ("word, name, designation"), related to vocare ("to call, to name").

Interesting Fact: The size of a person's vocabulary is often difficult to measure due to the distinction between active and passive vocabulary. Estimates for native speakers vary widely.