der  Aussetzer

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaʊsˌzɛt͡sɐ/

💡 What does "der Aussetzer" mean?

Der Aussetzer is a masculine noun with primarily two meanings:

• Technical Malfunction/Interruption: A sudden, temporary failure or stop in the function of a device, engine, or system. Example: Der Motor hatte einen Aussetzer (The engine had a dropout/malfunction).
• Mental Lapse/Blackout: A brief moment when someone is unfocused, forgets something, or is at a loss for words; a memory gap or a brief mental halt. Example: Mitten im Satz hatte er einen Aussetzer (He had a blackout/lapse mid-sentence).

⚠️ Less commonly, "der Aussetzer" can refer to a person who abandons something (e.g., an animal) or drops out of a competition/group, but these meanings are less frequent.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "Aussetzer" in Detail

The noun "Aussetzer" is masculine (der). It follows the strong declension pattern.

Example Sentences

1. Der Fernseher hat ständig kleine Aussetzer im Ton.
   (The TV constantly has small dropouts in the sound.)
2. Ich hatte während der Prüfung leider einen kompletten Aussetzer und wusste nichts mehr.
   (Unfortunately, I had a complete blackout during the exam and didn't know anything anymore.)
3. Solche kurzen Aussetzer können bei alten Maschinen vorkommen.
   (Such short malfunctions can occur with old machines.)
4. Seine gelegentlichen Aussetzer machten die Kollegen nervös.
   (His occasional lapses made his colleagues nervous.)

🗣️ How is "Aussetzer" used?

"Aussetzer" is often used colloquially, especially when referring to mental lapses.

• Technology: You talk about an Aussetzer with engines, electronic devices, connections (e.g., internet, phone). It describes a brief, unexpected stop in function. Similar to Panne (breakdown) or Störung (disturbance), but often shorter and more sudden.
• Human Behavior/Mind: Here, it describes a brief moment of inattention, forgetting, or mental "freeze." Often used when someone briefly loses their train of thought, misspeaks, or has a memory gap. Similar to Blackout (from English), Gedächtnislücke (memory gap), or Hänger (colloquial for getting stuck).

The context usually makes the intended meaning clear.

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article Mnemonic: Imagine a man (masculine, der) who suddenly stops talking – der Mann has an Aussetzer.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the verb "aussetzen" - something sets out or stops working for a moment, whether it's a machine (der Motor) or the mind (der Kopf).

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Aussteiger: Someone who drops out of a group, society, or project (not just a brief pause).
• Absätzer: (Rare) Someone who sells something (e.g., goods).

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Computer einen Aussetzer?
Weil er zu viele Fenster offen hatte und einen Zug bekommen hat!

(Why did the computer have a glitch/dropout?
Because it had too many windows open and caught a draft! - A pun on 'Fenster' (window) and 'Zug' (draft/train))

✍️ Poem about the "Aussetzer"

Der Motor stottert, welch ein Graus, (The engine sputters, what a dread,)
der Ton im Radio fällt kurz aus. (The radio sound cuts out instead.)
Im Kopf ein Loch, der Faden riss, (A hole in mind, the thread is torn,)
nein, das war jetzt kein guter Diss. (No, that was not a clever scorn.)
Ein kurzer Stopp, ein kleiner Schreck, (A brief stop, a little fright,)
der Aussetzer ist gleich wieder weg. (The lapse/glitch is gone, back to the light.)
Mal Technik, mal der Geist ganz leer, (Sometimes tech, sometimes mind empty, stark,)
so ein Moment, der wiegt oft schwer. (Such a moment often leaves its mark.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich komme plötzlich, ungefragt,
(I come suddenly, unasked,)
hab' manchen Redner schon verzagt.
(Have made many speakers downcast.)
Die Technik bring' ich zum Verdruss,
(Technology I bring to grief,)
auch im Gehirn mach' ich kurz Schluss.
(In the brain, too, I make it brief.)
Ich bin kein Fehler, der lang währt,
(I'm not a fault that lasts for long,)
sondern ein Stopp, der schnell verkehrt.
(But a stop that quickly turns things wrong/around.)

What am I?
(Answer: der Aussetzer)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word "Aussetzer" is derived from the verb "aussetzen" (to stop, to pause, to suspend, sometimes to abandon). The ending "-er" forms a noun that describes the action or the result of the verb (or less commonly, the person performing the action).

• aus- (prefix indicating separation or ending)
• setzen (verb: to set, to place)
• -er (suffix for noun formation)

Together, it signifies something that is briefly "set outside" of normal operation.