der  Abwurf

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈapvʊʁf/

🎯 What exactly does "der Abwurf" mean?

The term der Abwurf (masculine) generally refers to the act of dropping or throwing something from above or away from a position.

• Military/Logistics: The targeted dropping of loads from an aircraft (e.g., Bomben (bombs), Hilfsgüter (relief supplies), Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers)). Example: Der Abwurf der Hilfspakete erfolgte über dem Krisengebiet. (The dropping of the aid packages took place over the crisis area.)
• Sports: Throwing a ball, often at the beginning of a play or after an interruption (e.g., in Handball, Basketball). Example: Nach dem Foul gab es Abwurf für die gegnerische Mannschaft. (After the foul, there was a throw-in/goal throw for the opposing team.)
• Other: The discarding or throwing away of things (e.g., Flugblätter (leaflets) from an airplane, Müll (rubbish) - less common). Example: Der Abwurf von Flugblättern war verboten. (The dropping of leaflets was forbidden.) Sometimes also the jettisoning of ballast.

It derives from the verb abwerfen (to drop, to throw off).

🧐 Grammar of "Abwurf" in Detail

Der Abwurf is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der präzise Abwurf der Bombe war entscheidend.
   (The precise drop of the bomb was crucial.)
2. Die Untersuchung des Abwurfs dauerte Wochen.
   (The investigation of the drop lasted weeks.)
3. Nach dem Abwurf landeten die Fallschirmjäger sicher.
   (After the drop, the paratroopers landed safely.)
4. Die Piloten übten den Abwurf von Versorgungsgütern.
   (The pilots practiced the dropping of supplies.)
5. Mehrere Abwürfe waren nötig, um alle Dörfer zu versorgen.
   (Several drops were necessary to supply all villages.)
6. Die Koordination der Abwürfe war komplex.
   (The coordination of the drops was complex.)
7. Man gedachte der Opfer bei früheren Abwürfen.
   (They commemorated the victims of earlier drops.)
8. Die Satellitenbilder zeigten die zahlreichen Abwürfe.
   (The satellite images showed the numerous drops.)

🗣️ How to use "Abwurf"?

The term der Abwurf is mainly used in specific contexts:

• Military/Aviation: Here it is very common for releasing bombs, missiles, or dropping materials or personnel from the air.
• Sports: Especially in Handball and Basketball, der Abwurf refers to throwing the ball in from the sideline or by the goalkeeper after a goal or interruption (goal throw or similar, depending on specific rules).
• Logistics/Aid Deliveries: When goods are delivered by aircraft to inaccessible areas.
• Figurative/Rare: Sometimes used metaphorically for getting rid of ballast or obligations, but this is rather unusual. Throwing away trash is usually called something else (e.g., Entsorgung - disposal, Wegwerfen - throwing away).

⚠️ Important: In everyday life, you would rarely speak of an "Abwurf" when, for example, posting a letter or throwing out garbage. The term often carries a technical, sporting, or military connotation.

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

1. Article Mnemonic: Think of der Wurf (the throw). A throw is an action, often requiring strength (associated with masculine). Der Abwurf is a specific type of throw. So: Der Wurf -> der Abwurf.
2. Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine an aircraft *abwerfen* (dropping) something – it falls *off* (ab-) and away. Or a player *abwerfen* (throwing) the ball – away from their own goal or from the sideline. The prefix ab- emphasizes the 'away' or 'downward' motion in the *Wurf* (throw).

Just remember: Der Pilot (the pilot - masculine) performs den Abwurf!

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms for Abwurf

Potentially Confusing Words:

• Anwurf: Throw-off (start of a handball game).
• Einwurf: Throw-in (bringing the ball into play from the sideline in football/handball).

😂 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Fallschirmspringer seinen Job gekündigt?
(Why did the skydiver quit his job?)

Er fand den ständigen Abwurf einfach zu belastend! 😉
(He just found the constant dropping too stressful/burdensome! - *'belastend' means both stressful and relating to a load/burden*)

✍️ Poem about the Abwurf

Hoch oben, wo die Wolken zieh'n,
(High up, where the clouds drift by,)
Ein Brummen nur, kaum zu entflieh'n.
(Just a drone, hard to escape the eye.)
Dann öffnet sich die Ladeluke,
(Then opens up the cargo bay,)
Ein Punkt fällt tief, mit 'nem Rucke.
(A dot falls deep, with a sudden sway.)
Der Abwurf naht, mit Saus und Braus,
(The drop approaches, with rush and sound,)
Bringt Hilfe oder Schrecken aus.
(Brings help or terror all around.)
Am Boden wartet man gespannt,
(On the ground, they wait in suspense,)
Was da wohl kommt ins weite Land.
(For what might come to this wide expanse.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich komme von oben, doch bin kein Regen,
(I come from above, but am not rain,)
Bring' manchmal Güter auf staubigen Wegen.
(Sometimes bring goods on dusty terrain.)
Im Sport bin ich oft ein neuer Start,
(In sports, I'm often a new start,)
Im Krieg jedoch von ernster Art.
(In war, however, of a serious art.)

Was bin ich?
(What am I?)

Lösung: Der Abwurf
(Solution: The drop / throw)

➕ Other Information

Word Composition:

The word Abwurf is a compound noun, composed of:

• Prefix ab-: expresses separation, removal, or downward movement.
• Noun Wurf: from the verb werfen (to throw - a deliberate, often forceful movement of propelling something through the air).

Historical Context: The term gained particular significance during the World Wars (Bombenabwurf - bombing) and the Berlin Airlift (Abwurf von Hilfsgütern - dropping of relief supplies, the so-called "Candy Bombers" or Rosinenbomber).