der
Ackermann
🧑🌾 Meaning of 'der Ackermann'
Der Ackermann (plural: die Ackermänner) is a German job title for a man who cultivates fields, i.e., engages in agriculture. It's a synonym for Landwirt (farmer) or Bauer (farmer/peasant), often with a slightly historical or traditional connotation.
Specifically, it refers to:
- A man who works the field (Acker): The person who ploughs (pflügt), sows (sät), and harvests (erntet).
- Historically: Often a free farmer cultivating his own land.
- Surname: 'Ackermann' is also a common German surname, derived from this profession.
⚠️ Note: The word is used less frequently today as a direct job title than 'Landwirt' or 'Bauer', but it sounds appropriate in certain contexts (e.g., literature, history).
Article rules for der, die, and das
Male characters → always masculine.
Caution: Most professions also have their feminine forms (e.g. die Polizistin). Some words can also have two forms: der/die Deutsche, der/die Kranke.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Ackermann
The noun 'Ackermann' is masculine. It is used with the article 'der'.
Declension (Deklination)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Ackermann |
| Genitive | des | Ackermann(e)s |
| Dative | dem | Ackermann |
| Accusative | den | Ackermann |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Ackermänner |
| Genitive | der | Ackermänner |
| Dative | den | Ackermännern |
| Accusative | die | Ackermänner |
Note: The genitive singular can also be 'des Ackermanns'; 'Ackermannes' sounds a bit more elevated or older.
Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)
- Der Ackermann pflügt sein Feld im Frühling.
(The farmer ploughs his field in spring.) - Die Arbeit des Ackermanns ist hart und wetterabhängig.
(The farmer's work is hard and dependent on the weather.) - Wir sprachen mit dem Ackermann über die diesjährige Ernte.
(We spoke with the farmer about this year's harvest.) - Man sieht den Ackermann oft schon früh am Morgen auf dem Traktor.
(You often see the farmer on his tractor early in the morning.) - Viele Ackermänner kämpfen heute mit niedrigen Preisen.
(Many farmers struggle with low prices today.)
🗣️ How to Use 'Ackermann'
The term 'Ackermann' is used less often in everyday language today to refer to an active farmer. People often prefer 'Landwirt' (more neutral, modern) or 'Bauer' (can sound traditional or sometimes slightly derogatory, depending on context).
Typical Contexts:
- Historical context: When talking or writing about agriculture in past times. (Im Mittelalter war der Ackermann ein wichtiger Stand. - In the Middle Ages, the Ackermann was an important social status.)
- Literary context: In poems, novels, or stories to create a specific image.
- As a surname: Very common as a family name. (Herr Ackermann wohnt nebenan. - Mr. Ackermann lives next door.)
- In set phrases/names: E.g., in names of inns ('Zum Ackermann' - 'To the Farmer') or in literary works like 'Der Ackermann aus Böhmen' ('The Ploughman from Bohemia').
Compared to 'Bauer', 'Ackermann' often emphasizes the activity of ploughing and cultivating the field (Acker + Mann) more strongly.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic:
Think of the man on the field (Acker) - it's der Ackermann. (Masculine noun -> der)
Meaning Mnemonic:
Who works on the Acker (field)? A Mann (man)! Together they make the Ackermann, who cultivates the field.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
- Städter/Stadtbewohner: Person living in the city, not involved in agriculture. (city dweller)
- Industriearbeiter: Profession often contrasted with agriculture. (industrial worker)
- Adliger/Großgrundbesitzer: Historically often the counterpart to the working Ackermann/Bauer. (nobleman/large landowner) (Though nobles could own land, they didn't typically work it themselves).
Similar, but Different Words:
- Ackersmann: An older, synonymous form of Ackermann.
- Acker: The field itself, not the person.
😂 A Little Joke
German: Fragt der Städter den Ackermann: "Sagen Sie mal, ist das anstrengend, den ganzen Tag auf dem Feld zu arbeiten?" Antwortet der Ackermann: "Ach was, geht so. Das meiste macht ja der Traktor. Nur das Lenken ist manchmal knifflig, wenn die Kartoffeln kitzeln!"
English: A city dweller asks the farmer: "Tell me, is it exhausting working in the field all day?" The farmer replies: "Nah, it's alright. The tractor does most of it. Only the steering gets tricky sometimes when the potatoes tickle!"
📜 Poem about the Ackermann
German:
Der Ackermann, früh auf den Beinen,
lässt seinen Pflug durch Erde scheinen.
Die Scholle bricht, die Saat fällt rein,
für Brot und Korn, für Groß und Klein.
Mit starker Hand und festem Blick,
lenkt er des Feldes Geschick.
Von Sonne, Wind und Regen weiß,
des Ackermanns Fleiß hat seinen Preis.
English:
The ploughman, up when dawn appears,
Lets his bright plough through earth career.
The soil breaks open, seeds fall free,
For bread and grain, for you and me.
With steady hand and focused gaze,
He guides the fortune of field's days.
Knows sun and wind and rain's demand,
The ploughman's toil shapes all the land.
❓ Riddle Time
German:
Ich trag' den Namen vom Feld und vom Herrn,
arbeite draußen, mein Tag beginnt gern
mit Hähnekrähen, bei Wind und bei Nass.
Ich pflüge und säe, wer bin ich denn, was?
English:
I bear the name of field and man,
Work outdoors, my day began
With rooster's crow, through wind and wet.
I plough and sow, who am I yet?
... Der Ackermann (The ploughman/farmer)
💡 Other Interesting Facts
- Word Origin (Wortherkunft): The word is a direct compound of 'Acker' (cultivated field) and 'Mann' (man).
- Surname (Nachname): As mentioned, Ackermann is a very common German surname. Famous bearers include cyclist Pascal Ackermann and the former CEO of Deutsche Bank, Josef Ackermann.
- Literature (Literatur): 'Der Ackermann aus Böhmen' ('The Ploughman from Bohemia') is an important work of early New High German literature (around 1401) by Johannes von Tepl. It's a dialogue between a ploughman mourning the death of his wife and the personification of Death.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Ackermann?
The word 'Ackermann' is masculine, so the correct article is 'der'. It refers to a man who practices agriculture (farmer, plowman) and is also a common German surname.