der
Bruch
💔 What does "der Bruch" mean?
The German word der Bruch (masculine) has several meanings, often related to some kind of break, separation, destruction, or interruption. Here are the main ones:
- Medical 🦴: A bone fracture. Example: Nach dem Skiunfall hatte er einen komplizierten Bruch im Bein. (After the skiing accident, he had a complicated fracture in his leg.)
- Mathematical 🔢: A fraction, a part of a whole, a rational number (e.g., ½, ¾). Example: Im Mathematikunterricht lernen wir heute Brüche zu kürzen. (In math class today, we're learning to simplify fractions.)
- Material 🧱: The act of breaking or the state of being broken for a material object; also a place where something is mined (quarry - Steinbruch). Example: Der Bruch in der Vase war kaum zu sehen. (The crack/break in the vase was barely visible.) Der Steinbruch liefert Material für den Straßenbau. (The quarry supplies material for road construction.)
- Figurative/Legal 📜: The violation or non-observance of a rule, promise, contract, or relationship. Example: Der Vertragsbruch führte zu einer Klage. (The breach of contract led to a lawsuit.) Der Bruch mit der Tradition war unumgänglich. (The break with tradition was unavoidable.)
- Medical (Hernia) 💪: An inguinal hernia (Leistenbruch), umbilical hernia (Nabelbruch), etc. Example: Er musste wegen eines Leistenbruchs operiert werden. (He had to be operated on for an inguinal hernia.)
- Technical/Aviation ✈️: A crash landing (Bruchlandung). Example: Das Flugzeug machte einen Bruch. (The plane crash-landed / had a crash.)
⚠️ Although the meanings differ, the gender is always masculine: der Bruch.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-uch → mostly masculine.
Including -auch nouns (100% masculine, e.g. der Bauch)
🧐 Grammar of "der Bruch" in Detail
The noun "Bruch" is masculine. Here are the declension tables:
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Bruch |
| Genitive | des | Bruch(e)s |
| Dative | dem | Bruch(e) |
| Accusative | den | Bruch |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Brüche |
| Genitive | der | Brüche |
| Dative | den | Brüchen |
| Accusative | die | Brüche |
Example Sentences 📝
- Der Bruch des Arms heilte langsam.
(The fracture of the arm healed slowly. - Nominative Singular, fracture) - Wir diskutierten die Eigenschaften des Bruches ½.
(We discussed the properties of the fraction ½. - Genitive Singular, fraction) - Nach dem Bruch mit seinen Eltern sprach er nicht mehr mit ihnen.
(After the break with his parents, he no longer spoke to them. - Dative Singular, relationship break) - Das Gericht stellte den Vertragsbruch fest.
(The court determined the breach of contract. - Accusative Singular, legal breach) - Die Röntgenbilder zeigten mehrere Brüche.
(The X-rays showed several fractures. - Nominative Plural, fracture) - Die Addition von Brüchen ist einfach.
(The addition of fractions is simple. - Genitive Plural, often Dative used: von Brüchen) - Man sollte sich vor Brüchen im Material schützen.
(One should protect against breaks/fractures in the material. - Dative Plural, material break)
🌐 How to use "der Bruch"?
The use of "der Bruch" strongly depends on the context:
- In the hospital or at the doctor's office, one speaks of a Knochenbruch (bone fracture) or simply Bruch.
- In mathematics, der Bruch refers to a rational number (numerator/denominator), a fraction.
- In a legal context, it concerns Vertragsbruch (breach of contract), Rechtsbruch (violation of law), or Ehebruch (adultery).
- In a figurative sense, a Bruch can mean a sudden end to a relationship (der Bruch mit einem Freund - the break with a friend) or a tradition (der Bruch mit der Vergangenheit - the break with the past).
- A Steinbruch is a quarry where rock is mined.
- A Leistenbruch is a specific medical diagnosis (inguinal hernia).
Distinction from similar words:
- Der Riss: Usually refers to a narrower, more superficial separation in a material (e.g., Riss im Papier - tear in paper, Riss in der Wand - crack in the wall). A Bruch often implies a more complete shattering or deeper structural damage.
- Die Verletzung: A more general term for any type of physical harm, which also includes bruises, wounds, etc. A Bruch is a specific type of Verletzung (injury).
🧠 Mnemonics for "der Bruch"
Remembering the Article "der":
Imagine a strong man (der Mann) unfortunately breaking his leg during sports – der Bruch. Or think of der Steinbruch (the quarry), a masculine place of hard labor.
Remembering the Meanings:
The word "Bruch" sounds like the English word "brook" (a small stream), but think of it instead causing a "break". Or connect it to the German verb brechen (to break):
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "der Bruch"
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- For bone fracture: Fraktur
- For material breaking: Riss (tear, crack), Sprung (crack, e.g., in glass), Zerstörung (destruction)
- For mathematical fraction: Gebrochene Zahl (fractional number), Rationale Zahl (rational number - broader term)
- For breach of contract: Vertragsverletzung (contract violation), Verstoß (violation), Wortbruch (breach of promise)
- For end of relationship: Trennung (separation), Ende (end)
- For hernia: Eingeweidebruch
- For quarry: Grube (pit), Tagebau (open-pit mine)
Antonyms (opposites):
- For bone fracture: Heilung (healing), Unversehrtheit (intactness)
- For mathematical fraction: Ganze Zahl (whole number), Ganzes (whole)
- For material breaking: Ganzheit (wholeness), Intaktheit (intactness), Kontinuität (continuity)
- For breach of contract: Einhaltung (compliance), Erfüllung (fulfillment), Treue (loyalty)
- For end of relationship: Verbindung (connection), Fortsetzung (continuation), Versöhnung (reconciliation)
⚠️ Potential for Confusion:
Do not confuse with the verb brechen (to break; e.g., ich breche - I break, er brach - he broke, gebrochen - broken) or the adjective bruch (used in phrases like in die Brüche gehen - to fall apart, to break down).
😂 A Little Joke
DE: Warum mögen Mathematiker keine Strände?
Zu viele Brüche zwischen den Sandkörnern!
EN: Why don't mathematicians like beaches?
Too many fractions (Brüche) between the grains of sand!
✍️ Poem about "der Bruch"
DE:
Ein Knochen knackt, der Bruch ist da,
Im Gipsverband, ganz nah.
Ein halb, ein Drittel, Zähler, Nenner,
Mathematik für schlaue Kenner.
Vertrag gebrochen, welch ein Schmerz,
Ein Riss geht tief durchs treue Herz.
Ob Stein, ob Zahl, ob altes Band,
Der Bruch verändert Stadt und Land.
EN:
A bone cracks, the break is there,
In plaster cast, held close with care.
A half, a third, numerator low,
Mathematics for those who know.
Contract broken, what a pain,
A tear runs deep through heart's domain.
Be it stone, or number, or ancient tie,
The break changes all beneath the sky.
🧩 Little Riddle
DE:
Ich kann im Knochen schmerzhaft sein,
In Zahlen teil' ich groß und klein.
Ein Pakt wird durch mich oft zunicht',
Und im Gestein hab ich Gewicht.
Was bin ich? 🤔
Lösung: der Bruch
EN:
I can be painful in a bone,
In numbers, parts of me are shown.
A pact through me is often naught,
And in the rock, my weight is sought.
What am I? 🤔
Solution: der Bruch (the break/fracture/fraction/breach/quarry)
🤓 Other Information
Compound Words (Komposita): "Bruch" is part of many German words reflecting its various meanings:
- Knochenbruch (bone fracture)
- Steinbruch (quarry)
- Vertragsbruch (breach of contract)
- Ehebruch (adultery)
- Leistenbruch (inguinal hernia)
- Nabelbruch (umbilical hernia)
- Zahlenbruch (numerical fraction - rare, usually just "Bruch")
- Bruchrechnung (calculation with fractions)
- Bruchstück (fragment)
- Bruchlandung (crash landing)
- Umbruch (upheaval, major change - figurative)
Etymology: The word "Bruch" comes from the Old High German "bruh" and is closely related to the verb "brechen" (to break). It originally denoted the result of breaking.
Summary: is it der, die or das Bruch?
The word "Bruch" is always masculine. The correct form is: der Bruch.