der  Dreißiger

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈdʁaɪsɪɡɐ/

📖 What does "der Dreißiger" mean?

The word der Dreißiger primarily has two meanings:

1. A male person aged 30 to 39: Someone in their fourth decade of life. Example: Mein Nachbar ist ein typischer Dreißiger (My neighbor is a typical man in his thirties).
2. The 1930s (often plural "die Dreißiger"): The decade from 1930 to 1939. Example: Die Mode der Dreißiger war elegant (The fashion of the thirties was elegant). In this context, it's mostly used in the plural (die Dreißiger), even when referring to the decade as a single unit. If explicitly referring to a male person from that decade, "der Dreißiger" could be used, but it's less common than the age reference.

🚨 Attention: For a female person of this age, you use die Dreißigerin.

💡 It's a *substantivized numeral* (derived from dreißig - thirty).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "der Dreißiger" in Detail

"Der Dreißiger" is a masculine noun derived from the numeral "dreißig" (thirty). When used as a noun, it is declined like an adjective (weak declension after a definite article, mixed after an indefinite article, strong with no article).

Declension (masculine, person):

Plural (persons or decade):

The plural is die Dreißiger (Nominative/Accusative), der Dreißiger (Genitive), den Dreißigern (Dative).

Example Sentences

• Als Dreißiger hat man oft schon Berufserfahrung gesammelt.
  (As someone in their thirties, one often has already gained professional experience.)
• Er ist ein Dreißiger mit vielen Plänen.
  (He is a man in his thirties with many plans.)
• Die Wirtschaftskrise prägte die Dreißiger stark.
  (The economic crisis strongly shaped the thirties.)
• In den Dreißigern trug man Hüte.
  (In the thirties, people wore hats.)

🗣️ How to use "der Dreißiger"?

Usage heavily depends on the context:

• Age reference (person): Refers to a male person between 30 and 39. Often used somewhat casually or as a generalization. You can also say "Er ist in den Dreißigern" (He is in his thirties). Example: "Typisch Dreißiger, er kauft sich jetzt ein Motorrad." (Typical thirty-something, he's buying a motorcycle now.)
• Decade (mostly plural "die Dreißiger"): Refers to the years 1930-1939. Frequently used in historical, cultural, or social contexts. Example: "Die Kunst der Dreißiger war vom Art déco beeinflusst." (The art of the thirties was influenced by Art Deco.)

⚠️ The meaning is usually clear from the context. If discussing history, it likely means the decade. If discussing a person, it means their age.

There's little risk of confusion, as the plural form "die Dreißiger" is dominant for the decade, while "der Dreißiger" primarily denotes the male person.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: For a *man* of this age, you need der (masculine article). Think: Der Mann (the man) is now a Dreißiger.

Meaning Mnemonic (Age): Dreißig sounds like 'dry sig(nal)' - maybe at thirty, the *signal* for peak youth feels a bit *dry*? So, der Dreißiger is a man around thirty.

Meaning Mnemonic (Decade): Think of the *three* zeros in 'thirty' (30) representing the decade 19*30*s. Die Dreißiger were the 1930s.

↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms

Similar Words:

• Dreißigste(r): Ordinal number (the 30th), not the age group or decade.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum sind Dreißiger oft so entspannt?
Weil sie wissen, dass die wilden Zwanziger vorbei sind, aber die Midlife-Crisis noch ein bisschen hin ist!

(Why are people in their thirties often so relaxed?
Because they know the wild twenties are over, but the midlife crisis is still a little way off!)

📜 Poem about being a Dreißiger

Der Zwanziger ist lang vorbei,
Die Jugendzeit, ade, ade!
Nun ist er hier, der Dreißiger,
Das Leben wird oft fleißiger.

Mal ernst, mal locker, mittendrin,
Suchst nach dem großen Lebenssinn.
Die Dreißiger, ein starkes Stück,
Auf dem Weg zum Glück!

(The twenties are long gone by,
The time of youth, goodbye, goodbye!
Now he is here, the thirty-something man,
Life often becomes a busier plan.)

(Sometimes serious, sometimes loose, right in between,
Searching for life's great meaning unseen.
The thirties, a strong phase to embrace,
On the road to happiness and grace!)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich kann ein Mann sein, noch nicht alt,
Doch auch ein Jahrzehnt, historisch kalt.
Mal zähl' ich Jahre, zehn an der Zahl,
Mal einen Mann in seiner besten Wahl.

Wer oder was bin ich?

(I can be a man, not yet old,
But also a decade, historically cold.
Sometimes I count years, ten in total,
Sometimes a man in his prime, quite noble.)

(Who or what am I?
Answer: Der Dreißiger (or die Dreißiger) - The thirty-something / The Thirties)

➕ Other Information

Word Formation: The word "Dreißiger" is formed by substantivizing the numeral "dreißig" (thirty) with the suffix "-er". This suffix is often used in German to indicate belonging to a group (by age, origin, era), e.g., Berliner (person from Berlin), Achtziger (person in their eighties / the Eighties).

Historical Context (Die Dreißiger / The Thirties): The 1930s were marked globally by the Great Depression, political upheavals (like the rise of National Socialism in Germany), and social tensions. Culturally, however, it was also a time of Art Deco and the emergence of talking films (Tonfilm).