der  Anfang

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈanfaŋ/

What exactly does der Anfang mean? 🤔

Der Anfang (masculine noun) means the start or the first part of something. It can refer to a point in time, a location, or a process where something begins or has its origin.

• Temporal beginning: Der Anfang des Monats. (The beginning of the month.)
• Spatial beginning: Der Anfang der Straße. (The beginning/start of the street.)
• Content-related beginning: Der Anfang der Geschichte. (The beginning of the story.)

It's the opposite of das Ende (the end) or der Schluss (the conclusion/end). A well-known German proverb is: Jeder Anfang ist schwer (Every beginning is hard).

⚠️ Although often used synonymously with der Beginn (the beginning/start), Anfang can sometimes place a stronger emphasis on the initial point or section.

Article rules for der, die, and das

Grammar Details for der Anfang 🧐

Der Anfang is a masculine noun. Its declension follows the standard pattern for masculine nouns.

Example Sentences

1. Der Anfang der Veranstaltung ist um 19 Uhr. (The start of the event is at 7 PM.)
2. Ich habe den Anfang des Films verpasst. (I missed the beginning of the movie.)
3. Wir stehen erst am Anfang unserer Reise. (We are only at the beginning of our journey.)
4. Die Geschichte des Unternehmens reicht bis zu seinen Anfängen im 19. Jahrhundert zurück. (The company's history dates back to its beginnings in the 19th century.)
5. Trotz der schwierigen Anfänge wurde das Projekt ein Erfolg. (Despite the difficult beginnings, the project became a success.)

How to Use der Anfang? ✍️

Der Anfang is very commonly used in German to describe the starting point of events, time periods, or objects.

• Time: Anfang Januar (early January / beginning of January), Anfang der Woche (start of the week), der Anfang des Spiels (the beginning of the game).
• Space: Der Anfang der Schlange (the start/front of the queue/line), der Anfang des Weges (the beginning of the path).
• Content: Der Anfang des Kapitels (the beginning of the chapter), der Anfang einer Freundschaft (the beginning of a friendship).

Common Phrases:

• Von Anfang an: Means 'from the very beginning', 'right from the start'. Example: Ich habe dir von Anfang an gesagt, dass es keine gute Idee ist. (I told you from the very beginning it wasn't a good idea.)
• Am Anfang: Means 'at the beginning', 'initially'. Example: Am Anfang war alles noch einfach. (In the beginning, everything was still simple.)
• Einen Anfang machen: Means 'to make a start', 'to begin'. Example: Lass uns einfach einen Anfang machen, dann sehen wir weiter. (Let's just make a start, then we'll see.)
• Aller Anfang ist schwer: Proverb meaning 'Every beginning is hard' or 'The first step is always the hardest'.

Comparison with Beginn and Start:

• Der Beginn: Very similar to Anfang, often interchangeable, sometimes sounds a bit more formal or official (e.g., der Beginn der Vorstellung - the start of the performance).
• Der Start: Often used for sporting events, projects, or technical processes (e.g., der Start des Rennens - the start of the race, der Raketenstart - the rocket launch). Can also mean 'beginning' or 'start', but often implies more dynamism.

Memory Aids for der Anfang 🧠

Article Mnemonic (der): Think of the beginning of a race. Who's leading? Der Runner! Der runner signals den Anfang (the beginning).

Meaning Mnemonic (Beginning): Anfang contains "fang", like the English word "fang". Imagine the beginning of a vampire story always starts with showing its fangs. The fangs mark the Anfang. Alternatively, link it to the verb anfangen (to begin). The noun form is der Anfang.

Synonyms & Antonyms for der Anfang 🔄

Similar Sounding Words (Watch Out!)

• Der Anhang: Means attachment (like in an email) or appendix (in a book). Sounds similar but has a completely different meaning.
• Der Empfang: Means reception (e.g., greeting guests or cell phone reception).

A Little Joke 😄

German:

Frage: Was sagt der Pessimist am 1. Januar?

Antwort: "Schlimmer kann das Jahr ja kaum anfangen!"

English Translation:

Question: What does the pessimist say on January 1st?

Answer: "The year can hardly start any worse than this!"

A Short Poem 📜

German:

Der Anfang ist ein leises Wort,
Ein Schritt hinaus, an einen neuen Ort.
Mal zaghaft klein, mal voller Mut,
Ein Funke nur, doch welche Glut!
Aus ihm erwächst, was später blüht,
Der Anfang – oft ganz unbemüht.

English Translation:

The beginning is a quiet word,
A step outside, to a new world conferred.
Sometimes timidly small, sometimes full of might,
Just a spark, but oh what light!
From it grows what later blooms bright,
The beginning – often effortless in sight.

Guess What! 🧐

German:

Ich habe kein Ende, doch bin oft der Start.
Manchmal bin ich schwer, von ganz besond'rer Art.
Jede Reise, jedes Buch hat mich,
Ohne mich gäb's kein Vorher, sicherlich.

Was bin ich?

Lösung: Der Anfang

English Translation:

I have no end, yet I'm often the start.
Sometimes I am hard, a special work of art.
Every journey, every book holds me near,
Without me, there'd be no 'before', that's clear.

What am I?

Solution: Der Anfang (The Beginning)

Trivia & Origin 🤓

Word Formation (Wortbildung):

Der Anfang is a nominalization (making a noun) of the verb anfangen (to begin, to start). The verb fangen originally meant 'to catch', 'to seize'. So, anfangen literally means 'to grab onto something', 'to tackle something', which evolved into the meaning 'to begin'.

Interesting Points:

• The plural form die Anfänge is often used to describe the origins or the early stages of something (e.g., die Anfänge der Luftfahrt - the beginnings/origins of aviation).
• The related adjective is anfänglich (initial, original) (e.g., anfängliche Schwierigkeiten - initial difficulties).