der
Call
📈 What exactly is a 'Call'?
The word der Call is an Anglicism used in German primarily in specific contexts:
- In finance: The most common meaning is that of a call option (die Kaufoption). This is the right, but not the obligation, to buy a specific underlying asset (e.g., a stock) at a fixed price (der Ausübungspreis) within a certain period or at a specific time.
- In telecommunications/IT: Sometimes 'Call' is used colloquially for a phone call (der Anruf) or a video call (e.g., Zoom-Call, Conference Call). However, der Anruf is the more common German word here.
- In marketing/sales: A Call-to-Action (die Handlungsaufforderung) or a Sales Call (das Verkaufsgespräch).
- In software development: A function call or API call (der API Call).
⚠️ Since it's a loanword, its establishment as a noun with 'der' is strongly focused on the financial sector and increasingly on the IT/business context.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-all → almost always masculine.
🧐 Grammar of 'der Call'
'Der Call' is a masculine noun. It is usually declined according to the strong declension pattern, especially in the financial context.
Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Call |
| Genitive | des | Calls / Call |
| Dative | dem | Call |
| Accusative | den | Call |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Calls |
| Genitive | der | Calls |
| Dative | den | Calls |
| Accusative | die | Calls |
Note: In the genitive singular, both des Calls and (less commonly) des Call are possible. The plural is die Calls.
💡 Example Sentences
- Finanzen: Der Anleger kaufte einen Call auf die Aktie, da er steigende Kurse erwartete.
(The investor bought a call on the stock because he expected prices to rise.) - Finanzen: Der Wert des Calls hängt von verschiedenen Faktoren ab.
(The value of the call depends on various factors.) - Finanzen: Sie handelte mit mehreren Calls gleichzeitig.
(She traded multiple calls simultaneously.) - Business/IT: Wir haben morgen um 10 Uhr einen wichtigen Call mit dem Kunden.
(We have an important call with the client tomorrow at 10 AM. - Colloquial, instead of 'Anruf' or 'Telefonkonferenz') - IT: Der letzte API-Call lieferte einen Fehler zurück.
(The last API call returned an error.)
🗣️ How to use 'der Call'?
The usage of 'der Call' depends heavily on the context:
- Financial world: Here, 'der Call' is an established technical term for a call option. It's used on stock exchanges, in financial news, and specialized literature. The opposite is 'der Put' (put option).
- Office/Everyday life: When someone 'hat einen Call' (has a call), they usually mean a phone or video conference. This is informal usage and often replaces 'Telefonat', 'Besprechung', or 'Konferenz'. Example: "Ich kann gerade nicht, ich bin in einem Call." (I can't right now, I'm on a call.) Here, it competes strongly with der Anruf or die Telefonkonferenz.
- IT/Technology: In programming and APIs, 'der Call' is common for a function or API call.
🚨 Avoid confusion: A normal phone call is referred to in standard German as der Anruf. Using 'der Call' for a phone call is rather colloquial or industry-specific.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Call'
For the article 'der': Think of the speculative man (der Mann), who ('der') buys a Call option. ('Der' is the masculine article).
For the meaning (Finance): A 'Call' option is like 'calling' the stock: "Come to me at the agreed price!" - You are essentially 'calling' the stock to you (= right to buy).
For the meaning (Phone Call): Imagine you 'call' someone: Your phone makes a 'Call'. Easy connection to the English word.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- For financial option: die Kaufoption, das Bezugsrecht (subscription right, conditional)
- For phone call (colloquial): der Anruf, das Telefonat, die Telefonkonferenz, das Gespräch (conversation)
- For IT call: der Funktionsaufruf (function call), der API-Aufruf (API call), der Methodenaufruf (method call)
Antonyms (Opposite):
- For financial option: der Put, die Put-Option, die Verkaufsoption (put option)
⚠️ Similar, but different words:
- Der Anruf: Standard word for a telephone call.
- Der Aufruf: An appeal, a summons (e.g., Spendenaufruf - call for donations).
😄 A little Joke
Warum hat der Broker seinen Papagei gefeuert?
Er hat ständig die falschen Calls gemacht!
(Why did the broker fire his parrot?
He kept making the wrong calls!)
📜 Poem about the Financial Call
Der Markt, er schwankt, mal hoch, mal tief,
Ein Händler hofft, dass alles lief.
Er kauft den Call, mit kühnem Mut,
Vertraut darauf, das wird schon gut.
Steigt der Kurs dann, schnell und klar,
Wird aus dem Recht ein Gewinn, wunderbar!
(The market sways, now high, now low,
A trader hopes all seeds will grow.
He buys the call, with courage bold,
Trusting the story will unfold.
If the price then rises, swift and clear,
The right becomes a profit, oh so dear!)
🧩 Riddle Time
Ich bin ein Recht, doch keine Pflicht,
Zu kaufen einst, was man verspricht.
Im Finanzdschungel bin ich daheim,
Steigt der Kurs, find' ich's fein.
Mein Gegenteil heißt 'Put', ganz klar.
Was bin ich wohl? Na wunderbar!
(I am a right, but not a must,
To buy one day, in someone's trust.
In the financial jungle, I reside,
If the price goes up, I beam with pride.
My opposite is 'Put', that's true.
What am I then? A cheer for you!)
(... Der Call / The Call Option)
💡 Other Information
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Call?
The noun 'Call' is masculine in German, so the correct article is der Call. It is mainly used as a financial term (call option) or colloquially for (conference) calls and IT-related function/API calls.