der  Acker

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈakɐ/

🌱 What exactly is 'der Acker'?

The German noun der Acker (plural: die Äcker) refers to a piece of land used for agriculture. It's a cultivated area where crops like grain (Getreide), potatoes (Kartoffeln), or vegetables (Gemüse) are grown. An Acker is regularly worked (ploughed, harrowed, sown, harvested).

Sometimes 'Acker' is used figuratively for a field of work or activity, but this is less common.

⚠️ Attention: Don't confuse it with a Wiese (meadow, used for grass or hay, usually not ploughed) or a Feld (field, can be more general, sometimes synonymous, but 'Acker' emphasizes agricultural cultivation more strongly).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of 'der Acker' in Detail

The noun 'Acker' is masculine. Here are the declension tables:

Example Sentences

1. Der Bauer pflügt seinen Acker im Frühling.
   (The farmer ploughs his field in spring.)
2. Die Kartoffeln wachsen auf diesem Acker besonders gut.
   (The potatoes grow particularly well in this field.)
3. Vom Hügel aus kann man die weiten Äcker überblicken.
   (From the hill, you can overlook the vast fields.)
4. Die Ernte auf den Äckern war dieses Jahr reichlich.
   (The harvest in the fields was abundant this year.)
5. Nach dem Regen standen Pfützen auf dem Acker.
   (After the rain, there were puddles on the field.)

🚜 When and how to use 'Acker'?

'Der Acker' is primarily used in the context of Landwirtschaft (agriculture). It refers to the specific area actively used for growing crops.

• Typical verbs: einen Acker bestellen (to cultivate), pflügen (to plough), eggen (to harrow), säen (to sow), düngen (to fertilize), ernten (to harvest).
• Typical adjectives: fruchtbarer Acker (fertile field), steiniger Acker (stony field), brachliegender Acker (fallow field).
• Distinction: Unlike a Wiese (meadow) or Wald (forest), an Acker is intensively cultivated. The word Feld is often a synonym but can also refer more generally to an open area (e.g., a football field - Fußballfeld, a magnetic field - Magnetfeld). 'Acker' emphasizes the agricultural use and cultivation.
• Figurative meaning (rare): Sometimes you might hear phrases like "Das ist sein Acker," meaning "That's his area of expertise/responsibility." Example: "Die Steuererklärung ist mein Acker, da kenne ich mich aus." (Tax returns are my field, I know my way around them.) However, this usage is rather colloquial and less common.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Acker'

For the article 'der': Think of der Farmer (der Bauer) who works on der Acker. Many outdoor professions in German are masculine (der Gärtner - gardener, der Förster - forester).

For the meaning 'field': An Acker is like a checkerboard for the farmer, where he 'moves' (grows) his plants. Imagine a tractor making tracks, like pieces on a board. The word 'Acker' sounds a bit like 'acre', which is a unit of land area, often used for fields.

↔️ Similar and Opposite Terms

Confusing Words:

• Acker- (in compounds): e.g., Ackerbau (agriculture), Ackerbohne (fava bean), Ackergauch (corn bunting - a bird), Ackerwinde (field bindweed - a plant).

😂 A Little Joke

Warum geht der Bauer nie auf den Acker, wenn es regnet?

Damit der Weizen nicht 'patschnass' wird! 😉

(Why does the farmer never go to the field when it's raining? - So the wheat doesn't get 'soaking wet'! - It's a mild pun, 'patschnass' means soaking wet).

✍️ Poem about the Acker

Der Acker ruht

Der Acker ruht im Morgentau,
die Scholle braun, der Himmel blau.
Der Bauer kommt mit starker Hand,
bestellt sein fruchtbares Land.

Die Saat fällt in die dunkle Erd',
von Sonne, Regen wohlgenährt.
Wächst Halm um Halm im Sommerwind,
bis reiche Ernte man dann find't.

---

The Field Rests

The field rests in morning dew,
the soil brown, the sky blue.
The farmer comes with a strong hand,
cultivates his fertile land.

The seed falls into the dark earth,
well-nourished by sun, rain's worth.
Grows stalk by stalk in summer breeze,
til a rich harvest one then sees.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin braun und liege brach,
oder trage stolz ein Dach
aus Getreide, grün und dicht.
Man pflügt mich, sät auf mein Gesicht.
Was bin ich?

(I am brown and lie fallow,
or proudly wear a roof
of grain, green and dense.
People plough me, sow upon my face.
What am I?)

Solution: der Acker (the field/arable land)

💡 Other Information

Etymology (Word Origin)

The word 'Acker' has a long history, deriving from the Old High German 'ackar'. It is related to the Latin 'ager' and the Greek 'agrós', both also meaning 'field' or 'farmland'. This Indo-European root highlights the fundamental importance of agriculture (Ackerbau) for many cultures.

Compound Words (Examples)

• Ackerbau: Agriculture, farming.
• Ackerfläche: The total area used as arable land.
• Ackerfrucht: A crop grown in a field (e.g., wheat, rye).
• Ackerboden: The soil of a field.
• Kartoffelacker: A field specifically for growing potatoes.