der  Energieverbrauch

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛnɛʁˈɡiːfɛɐ̯ˌbʁaʊ̯x/

💡 What exactly is 'der Energieverbrauch'?

Der Energieverbrauch means energy consumption. It refers to the amount of energy (like electricity, gas, heat) used by a system, person, household, company, or country over a specific period. It's a measure of the utilization of energy resources.

There's only one article, der, because it's a masculine noun derived from der Verbrauch (the consumption).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Energieverbrauch

The noun 'Energieverbrauch' is masculine. Its article is der. It is mostly used in the singular. The plural form, 'die Energieverbräuche', is rare but possible (e.g., when comparing the consumption of different years or devices).

Singular Declension

Plural Declension

💬 Example Sentences

• Der Energieverbrauch unseres Haushalts ist im letzten Jahr gestiegen. (Our household's energy consumption increased last year.)
• Die Regierung plant Maßnahmen zur Reduzierung des Energieverbrauchs. (The government is planning measures to reduce energy consumption.)
• Mit modernen Geräten kann man dem Energieverbrauch entgegenwirken. (With modern appliances, one can counteract energy consumption.)
• Wir müssen den Energieverbrauch senken, um die Umwelt zu schützen. (We must lower energy consumption to protect the environment.)
• Die Energieverbräuche der verschiedenen Abteilungen wurden analysiert. (The energy consumptions of the different departments were analyzed.)

🌍 Where and how is 'Energieverbrauch' mentioned?

The term Energieverbrauch is central to discussions about:

• Households: Electricity bills (Stromrechnungen), heating costs (Heizkosten), appliance efficiency (Effizienz von Geräten).
• Economy & Industry: Production costs (Produktionskosten), corporate energy efficiency (Energieeffizienz von Unternehmen), national energy balances (nationale Energiebilanzen).
• Environment & Climate: CO2 emissions (CO2-Emissionen), resource conservation (Ressourcenschonung), renewable energies (erneuerbare Energien).
• Technology: Information on electrical appliances (Energieeffizienzlabel - energy efficiency label), vehicle consumption (Fahrzeugverbrauch).

It's often used in connection with Kosten (costs), Effizienz (efficiency), Einsparung (savings), and Umweltbelastung (environmental impact). Common phrases are hoher/niedriger Energieverbrauch (high/low energy consumption), jährlicher Energieverbrauch (annual energy consumption), or Energieverbrauch pro Kopf (per capita energy consumption).

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article 'der': Think of 'der meter' (der Zähler) which measures consumption (Verbrauch). The masculine word 'meter' helps remember 'der'. Or: High consumption (Der Verbrauch) costs dear.

Meaning: Imagine Energy flowing and being used up, or 'consumed' (verbraucht). Energie + Verbrauch = energy consumption. 'Verbrauch' sounds a bit like 'for broke' – using too much energy (Energie) can make you go for broke.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for 'Energieverbrauch'

⚠️ Attention: Don't confuse it with Energiekosten (energy costs - the price of consumption) or Energieleistung (energy power/output - energy delivered per unit of time).

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Lehrer: "Was ist die Maßeinheit für den Energieverbrauch?"
Schüler Fritzchen: "Kilowatt-Stunde!"
Lehrer: "Sehr gut! Und was ist die Maßeinheit für Energieeinsparung?"
Fritzchen: "Kilowatt-Stunde weniger?"

Teacher asks: "What is the unit of measurement for energy consumption?"
Student Little Fritz: "Kilowatt-hour!"
Teacher: "Very good! And what is the unit of measurement for energy saving?"
Little Fritz: "Kilowatt-hour less?"

📜 A Little Poem

Der Zähler dreht, das Licht es brennt,
der Energieverbrauch, den jeder kennt.
Mal hoch, mal tief, je nach der Zeit,
drum spart mit Strom und seid bereit,
die Welt zu schonen, Tag für Tag,
weil jeder Beitrag helfen mag.

The meter turns, the light does glow,
der Energieverbrauch, that all well know.
Sometimes high, sometimes low, depending on the day,
so save on power and be ready, come what may,
to spare the world, each passing hour,
because every contribution has great power.

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich messe, was fließt durch Kabel und Rohr,
bin mal klein, mal groß, komm selten dir vor.
Man liest mich ab, oft mit Bedacht,
zu viel von mir hat arm gemacht.

Was bin ich?... Der Energieverbrauch

I measure what flows through cable and pipe,
I'm sometimes small, sometimes large, of a certain type.
People read me, often with care,
too much of me leads to despair (makes poor).

What am I?
... Der Energieverbrauch (Energy Consumption)

🧩 Word Building Blocks

The word 'Energieverbrauch' is a compound noun, made up of:

• Die Energie: From Greek 'energeia' (active force).
• Der Verbrauch: Derived from the verb 'verbrauchen' (to consume, to use up).

Together, the meaning is: The use or consumption of active force (energy).