der
Damm
🧱 What does "der Damm" actually mean?
The word der Damm (masculine) has several meanings:
- Hydraulic structure 🌊: A barrier, usually made of earth or concrete, that impounds or holds back water (e.g., a Staudamm - dam for power generation or a Deich/Uferdamm - levee/embankment for flood protection).
- Embankment/Causeway 🛣️: A raised bank of earth serving as a path, railway line, or boundary (e.g., a Bahndamm - railway embankment, Straßendamm - road embankment).
- Anatomy 🧑⚕️: The area between the external genitalia and the anus (medical term: perineum).
⚠️ Attention: Although Deich and Damm are similar, a Deich specifically refers to a protective wall against high water on coasts or rivers, while Damm is a broader term.
📊 Grammar of "der Damm" in Detail
"Damm" is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Damm |
| Genitive | des | Damm(e)s |
| Dative | dem | Damm(e) |
| Accusative | den | Damm |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Dämme |
| Genitive | der | Dämme |
| Dative | den | Dämmen |
| Accusative | die | Dämme |
Example Sentences
- (Hydraulic structure) Der neue Damm schützt das Dorf vor Überschwemmungen. (The new dam protects the village from floods.)
- (Embankment) Die Eisenbahnlinie verläuft auf einem hohen Damm. (The railway line runs on a high embankment.)
- (Anatomy) Bei der Geburt kann ein Dammriss auftreten. (A perineal tear can occur during childbirth.)
- Der Bau des Dammes dauerte mehrere Jahre. (The construction of the dam took several years. - Genitive Singular)
- Die Biber bauen geschickt an ihren Dämmen. (The beavers skillfully build on their dams. - Dative Plural)
💡 How "der Damm" is used
The use of "Damm" heavily depends on the context:
- In hydraulic engineering and flood protection: Here, people talk about Staudämme (dams), Talsperren (reservoirs/dams), Schutzdämme (protective embankments), or Uferdämme (levees). It's about controlling or holding back water.
- In traffic route construction: Straßendämme (road embankments) or Bahndämme (railway embankments) allow for a level and elevated route over uneven terrain or watercourses.
- In medicine/anatomy: The term is used specifically for the perineal area, e.g., during childbirth (Dammschnitt - episiotomy, Dammriss - perineal tear) or in urology/gynecology.
- Figuratively: Sometimes "Damm" is used metaphorically, e.g., "ein Dammbruch der Gefühle" (a dam burst of emotions - a sudden emotional outburst) or "einen Damm gegen etwas errichten" (to build a dam against something - to put a stop to something).
Comparison: A Deich is primarily a flood protection wall along a river or the sea. A Damm can also serve this function, but can also impound water (Talsperre) or serve as a raised path.
🧠 Mnemonics for "der Damm"
- Article mnemonic: Think of a strong, powerful structure - der starke Damm (the strong dam) - defying the water. Or associate it with the anatomical area relevant to men (masculine!). Der is the strong article for this strong word.
- Meaning mnemonic: Imagine a beaver (der Biber) first building a Damm (dam), then running across an earthen Damm (embankment), and finally sitting down, putting pressure on the anatomical Damm (perineum). 🌊🚶♂️🩹
Remember: Der Damm is a solid thing, whether holding back a flood, forming a path, or anatomically placed - it's reliably there!
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "Damm"
Synonyms:
- For hydraulic structure: Staudamm (dam), Talsperre (dam/reservoir), Deich (levee/dike), Wehr (weir), Uferwall (embankment), Schutzwall (protective barrier), Wasserwehr (weir)
- For embankment/causeway: Bahndamm (railway embankment), Straßendamm (road embankment), Erdwall (earth wall), Aufschüttung (embankment/fill), Böschung (slope, partly)
- For anatomy: Perineum, Mittelfleisch (obsolete)
Antonyms:
- For hydraulic structure/embankment: Durchbruch (breach), Graben (ditch/trench), Vertiefung (depression), Loch (hole), Tal (valley - in the sense of not being raised), Senke (depression/dip)
- For anatomy: (No direct antonyms applicable)
🚨 Similar Words:
😂 A Little Joke
Warum sind Biber so gute Bauingenieure?
Weil sie jeden Damm gut finden!
(Why are beavers such good engineers? Because they think every dam (Damm) is good! - Play on words, 'find ich gut' means 'I like it'/'I think it's good')
📜 Poem about the Damm
Ein Damm, gebaut mit Kraft und Fleiß,
hält Wasser auf, so will's der Preis.
Mal schützt er Land vor nasser Wut,
mal trägt er Schienen, stark und gut.
Ein Wort, drei Sinn', fest und beständig,
der Damm, er dient uns oft und ständig.
(A dam, built with strength and diligence,
holds back water, that's the price.
Sometimes it protects land from wet fury,
sometimes it carries rails, strong and good.
One word, three meanings, firm and constant,
the dam, it often serves us always.)
❓ Riddle
Ich halte Wasser in dem Tal,
bin Schutz vor Fluten, ohne Wahl.
Man fährt auf mir mit Zug und Auto schnell,
und auch am Körper hab' ich meine Stell'.
Was bin ich?
(I hold water in the valley,
am protection against floods, without choice.
People travel on me quickly by train and car,
and I also have my place on the body.
What am I?)
Solution: der Damm
🤓 More about Damm
- Word Origin: The word "Damm" comes from the Old High German word "tam", which meant "erection", "building", or "dam". It has Germanic roots.
- Compound Words: There are many compound words with Damm, e.g., Staudamm (dam), Absperrdamm (barrage dam), Fahrdamm (roadway), Bahndamm (railway embankment), Seitendamm (side dam/embankment), Dammschnitt (episiotomy - medical), Dammbruch (dam failure/burst - also figurative).
- Famous Dams: The Aswan High Dam in Egypt or the Three Gorges Dam in China are well-known examples of massive dam structures (massive Dammbauwerke).
Summary: is it der, die or das Damm?
The word "Damm" is masculine: der Damm. It primarily refers to a structure for impounding or holding back water (Staudamm, Uferdamm - dam, levee), an embankment used as a path (Straßendamm - road embankment), or the anatomical area between the genitals and the anus (Perineum).