der
Airport
✈️ What does "der Airport" mean?
The term der Airport is an Anglicism, meaning it's a loanword from English. In German, it's used synonymously with der Flughafen.
It refers to a place with runways and buildings for civil or military air traffic. Airplanes take off and land here, passengers are processed, and cargo is handled.
There is only one meaning, and it is always masculine (der Airport).
🚨 Attention: Although 'Airport' is understood, 'Flughafen' is much more common in German and often preferred, especially in more formal contexts.
🧐 Grammar of "der Airport" in Detail
The noun "Airport" is masculine. Here are the declension tables:
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Airport |
| Genitive | des | Airports |
| Dative | dem | Airport |
| Accusative | den | Airport |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Airports |
| Genitive | der | Airports |
| Dative | den | Airports |
| Accusative | die | Airports |
Example Sentences
- Der nächste Airport ist 50 Kilometer entfernt.
(The nearest airport is 50 kilometers away.) - Wir trafen uns am Airport.
(We met at the airport.) - Die Sicherheit an deutschen Airports wurde verschärft.
(Security at German airports has been tightened.) - Der Pilot landete sicher auf dem Airport.
(The pilot landed safely at the airport.)
🗣️ How to use "Airport"?
"Der Airport" is mainly used in more informal contexts or when aiming for an international flair. It's a direct synonym for "der Flughafen".
- Informal Usage: "Ich fahr' dich zum Airport." (I'll drive you to the airport.) sounds a bit more casual than using "Flughafen".
- International Context: In conversations with international partners or in the tourism sector, "Airport" is often understood and sometimes used.
- Alternative "Flughafen": Generally, "der Flughafen" is the more common and often preferred term in German. In official documents, news reports, or more formal conversations, "Flughafen" is used almost exclusively.
Sometimes "Airport" is also used specifically in brand names or to designate certain areas (e.g., "Airport City").
🧠 Mnemonics for "der Airport"
For the article (der): Many English loanwords, especially those denoting places or technical facilities and ending in a consonant, are masculine in German. Think of der Computer, der Job, der Code, and also der Airport. The German word 'Port' (der Hafen - port/harbor) is also masculine.
For the meaning: The word is composed of "Air" and "Port". An "air harbor" is a place where planes dock – an airport! So, der Airport is the place for things of the air.
🔄 Synonyms and Related Terms
Synonyms
Antonyms
There isn't a direct antonym. One could name places from which one does *not* fly:
- der Bahnhof (train station)
- der Hafen (harbor/port for ships)
- die Bushaltestelle (bus stop)
Related Terms (Could be confusing)
😄 A Little Joke
Warum hat der Teddybär seinen Flug verpasst?
Er hat zu lange am Kofferband auf seinen Bär gewartet! 🧸✈️
Why did the teddy bear miss his flight?
He waited too long at the baggage carousel for his bear! (Pun: 'Bär' sounds like 'bear', but could playfully refer to waiting for himself).
📜 Poem about the Airport
Am Airport, groß und weit,
steht man Schlange, hat kaum Zeit.
Die Koffer rollen, schwer und prall,
Durch die große Check-in-Hall'.
Flieger starten, laut und schnell,
Zum Urlaubsziel, hell und grell.
Der Airport, Tor zur Welt,
Wo Reisefieber uns befällt.
At the airport, large and wide,
People queue, with time denied.
Suitcases roll, heavy and full,
Through the large check-in hall.
Planes take off, loud and fast,
To destinations, bright and vast.
The airport, gate to the world,
Where travel fever grips us, swirled.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich habe Flügel, doch ich fliege nicht selbst.
Ich habe Tore, doch bin kein Schloss.
Ich bringe Menschen an ferne Orte,
bin mal ganz ruhig, mal voller Tross.
Was bin ich?
I have wings, but I don't fly myself.
I have gates, but I'm not a castle.
I take people to distant places,
Sometimes I'm quiet, sometimes full of hustle.
What am I?
Solution: der Airport (or der Flughafen)
💡 Other Information
Word Type: Noun, masculine
Origin: Anglicism (from English airport)
Composition: Composed of the English words air and port.
Trivia: The world's largest airport by area is King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia (der King Fahd International Airport). The largest by passenger volume is often Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the USA (der Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Airport?
The word "Airport" is a noun borrowed from English and is always masculine in German: der Airport, plural: die Airports. It is a synonym for der Flughafen but is often used more informally.