der /
das
Blackout
💡 What does "Blackout" mean?
The word "Blackout" is an anglicism used in German with two main meanings, distinguished by their articles:
1. Der Blackout (masculine)
- Primarily refers to a large-scale power outage or grid failure.
- Example: Wegen des Sturms gab es in der ganzen Stadt einen Blackout. (Because of the storm, there was a blackout in the entire city.)
2. Das Blackout (neuter)
- Describes a sudden, temporary loss of memory, a memory gap (Filmriss), or a brief loss of consciousness/fainting spell.
- Example: Mitten in der Prüfung hatte ich plötzlich ein totales Blackout und wusste nichts mehr. (Right in the middle of the exam, I suddenly had a total blackout and didn't know anything anymore.)
- Example: Nach dem Stoß gegen den Kopf hatte er ein kurzes Blackout. (After hitting his head, he had a brief blackout.)
⚠️ Attention: The assignment is relatively clear, but in colloquial speech, there can sometimes be confusion, although the distinction by article is the correct one.
🧐 Grammar Check: The Declension of Blackout
Since "Blackout" has two different articles, there are two declension patterns.
Der Blackout (masculine) - Power Outage
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Blackout |
| Genitive | des | Blackouts |
| Dative | dem | Blackout |
| Accusative | den | Blackout |
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Blackouts |
| Genitive | der | Blackouts |
| Dative | den | Blackouts |
| Accusative | die | Blackouts |
Das Blackout (neuter) - Memory Loss/Fainting
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das | Blackout |
| Genitive | des | Blackouts |
| Dative | dem | Blackout |
| Accusative | das | Blackout |
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Blackouts |
| Genitive | der | Blackouts |
| Dative | den | Blackouts |
| Accusative | die | Blackouts |
📝 Example Sentences
- Der Blackout legte die gesamte Infrastruktur lahm.
(The power outage paralyzed the entire infrastructure.) - Wir müssen uns auf mögliche Blackouts im Winter vorbereiten.
(We need to prepare for possible power outages in winter.) - Ich hatte während meiner Präsentation ein peinliches Blackout.
(I had an embarrassing blackout during my presentation - memory loss.) - Nach dem Unfall litt er unter wiederkehrenden Blackouts.
(After the accident, he suffered from recurring blackouts - fainting/memory gaps.)
🗣️ How to Use "Blackout"?
"Blackout" is commonly used in both meanings, in the media as well as in everyday life.
- Der Blackout: Often in the context of energy supply, emergency preparedness, technical malfunctions, or weather events (storms, freezing rain). People talk about the Angst vor dem Blackout (fear of the blackout) or Vorbereitungen auf einen Blackout (preparations for a blackout).
- Das Blackout: Frequently in exam situations, stage fright, stress, medical conditions (fainting, amnesia), or after excessive alcohol consumption (Filmriss - memory gap). One says: ein Blackout haben (to have a blackout).
It's an established anglicism. Alternatives like "Stromausfall" (power outage) or "Gedächtnisverlust" (memory loss) are more specific, but "Blackout" is often perceived as more concise.
🧠 Mnemonics to Remember
Remembering the article:
Remembering the meaning:
"When everything goes BLACK and then it's OUT – either the lights (der Strom - the power) or the memory/consciousness (das Gehirn - the brain)."
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms for "der Blackout" (power outage):
- Stromausfall (power outage)
- Netzausfall (grid failure)
- Strompanne (power breakdown)
- Versorgungsausfall (supply failure)
Synonyms for "das Blackout" (memory loss/fainting):
- Gedächtnisverlust (memory loss)
- Erinnerungslücke (memory gap)
- Filmriss (colloquial: memory gap, often alcohol-induced)
- Ohnmacht (fainting)
- Bewusstlosigkeit (unconsciousness)
- Aussetzer (colloquial: lapse, glitch)
Antonyms for "der Blackout":
- Stromversorgung (power supply)
- Dauerbetrieb (continuous operation)
- Netzstabilität (grid stability)
Antonyms for "das Blackout":
- Erinnerung (memory, recollection)
- Bewusstsein (consciousness)
- Klarheit (clarity)
- Geistesgegenwart (presence of mind)
🚨 Similar words: Do not confuse with "Kurzschluss" (short circuit), which is a technical defect that can often lead to a blackout but isn't the same thing.
😄 A Little Joke
Warum nehmen Glühbirnen nie an Prüfungen teil?
Weil sie Angst vor einem Blackout haben! 😉
(Why do light bulbs never take exams? Because they're afraid of a blackout!)
📜 Poem about Blackout
Der Strom, er war auf einmal fort,
ein Blackout an dem ganzen Ort.
Kein Licht, kein Herd, kein WLAN-Netz,
man saß im Dunkeln, leicht versetzt.
Doch schlimmer traf's den armen Klaus,
das Blackout warf ihn völlig raus.
Vor Aufregung, im Rampenlicht,
vergaß er glatt sein Textgedicht.
Translation:
The power (der Strom), it suddenly was gone,
a blackout overcame the town upon.
No light, no stove, no Wi-Fi net,
one sat in darkness, slightly offset.
But worse it hit poor Klaus, you see,
the blackout (das Blackout) knocked him totally.
With nervousness, in the spotlight's gleam,
he quite forgot his poem's theme.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich komme plötzlich, ungefragt,
mal ist der Strom von mir geplagt,
mal ist das Hirn von mir benommen,
die Worte sind dir glatt entkommen.
Was bin ich?
Translation:
I come suddenly, unasked,
sometimes the power (der Strom) is by me tasked,
sometimes the brain (das Hirn) is numb by me,
the words have simply escaped thee.
What am I?
(Solution: Der/Das Blackout)
🌐 More Info
Word Origin: The word "Blackout" comes directly from English. "Black" means "schwarz" and "out" means "aus" or "draußen". The combination vividly describes the extinguishing (of light or consciousness).
Other Contexts: Sometimes "Blackout" is also used for sudden, severe stage fright or a sudden communication block, which is a form of mental blackout (das Blackout).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Blackout?
It's der Blackout for a power outage and das Blackout for a memory loss or brief fainting spell. Remember: DER power is gone, DAS memory (or consciousness) is gone.