der  Februar

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈfɛbʁuˌaːɐ̯/

🗓️ What does "der Februar" mean?

Der Februar is the German word for February, the second month of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It typically has 28 days, but in a Schaltjahr (leap year), which occurs every four years, it has 29 days.

The name originates from the Latin word februare, meaning “to purify,” referring to the Roman purification festival Februa held during this month.

There is only one article for this month name: der Februar.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🤓 Grammar in Detail: Der Februar

The month name "Februar" is a masculine noun and always takes the article der. Month names generally do not have a plural form, unless referring to multiple February months across different years (e.g., "die kalten Februare der letzten Dekade" - *the cold Februaries of the last decade*), which is rare.

Declension (Singular):

Note: In the Genitive case, both forms are possible, but "des Februars" is more common.

💬 Example Usage:

• Der Februar ist der kürzeste Monat des Jahres. (February is the shortest month of the year. - Nominative)
• Die Kälte des Februars war ungewöhnlich stark. (The cold of February was unusually intense. - Genitive)
• Wir fahren im Februar in den Skiurlaub. (We are going on a ski trip in February. - Dative; note the contraction "im" = "in dem")
• Ich mag den Februar nicht besonders. (I don't particularly like February. - Accusative)

🏂 How to use "Februar"?

"Der Februar" is used to denote the second month of the year. It is often associated with cold, snow (in the Northern Hemisphere), the end of winter, and sometimes Carnival (Karneval or Fasching).

• Time specifications: Use prepositions like im (in the), Anfang/Mitte/Ende (beginning/middle/end of), or specific dates: "Im Februar ist es oft kalt." (It's often cold in February.) / "Die Prüfung findet Anfang Februar statt." (The exam takes place at the beginning of February.) / "Mein Geburtstag ist am 10. Februar." (My birthday is on February 10th.)
• No confusion: Since there's only the article "der", confusion based on articles is impossible. Just ensure correct spelling.

🧠 Mnemonics for "Februar"

Remembering the article "der":

Think: Months in German are typically masculine (der). Imagine a cold gentleman: Der kalte Herr Februar (The cold Mr. February).

Remembering the meaning:

Februar sounds a bit like the English word "fever". Imagine *fever*ishly waiting for spring during the short, cold month of Februar.

↔️ Similar and Opposite Words

⚠️ Similar Words: There are no common words easily confused with "Februar".

😄 A Little Joke

Warum ist der Februar so stolz?

Weil er der Einzige ist, der alle vier Jahre einen extra Tag bekommt, um anzugeben!

(Why is February so proud? Because it's the only one that gets an extra day every four years to show off!)

📜 Poem about Februar

Der Februar, kurz und klein,
lässt den Winter frostig sein.
Mal mit Schnee, mal Sonnenschein,
lädt zum Warten auf den Frühling ein.
Manchmal schenkt er, Jahr für Jahr,
einen Tag mehr, wunderbar!

(February, short and small,
lets winter be frosty for all.
Sometimes with snow, sometimes sunshine bright,
invites waiting for spring's light.
Sometimes it gives, year by year,
one more day, wonderfully clear!)

❓ Riddle

Ich bin der Zweite im Jahresreigen,
und kann dir meine kürz'ste Dauer zeigen.
Doch alle vier Jahr', das ist bekannt,
hab' ich einen Tag mehr zur Hand.

Wer bin ich?

(I am the second in the year's round dance,
and can show you my shortest duration chance.
But every four years, it's widely known,
I have an extra day of my own.

Who am I?)

Solution: Der Februar (February)

🧐 More about Februar

• Origin of the Name: As mentioned, from the Latin februa (purification rites, festival of atonement), celebrated at the end of the old Roman year (which began in March).
• Schaltjahr (Leap Year): February 29th only exists in leap years to synchronize the calendar with the solar year. People born on February 29th often celebrate their birthdays on February 28th or March 1st in non-leap years.
• Bauernregeln (Farmer's Rules): There are many traditional German farmer's sayings for February, meant to predict the weather, e.g., "Ist der Februar mild und schön, wird der Frühling stürmisch weh'n." (If February is mild and fair, spring will be stormy with rough air.)
• Festivals: Candlemas (Mariä Lichtmess, Feb 2nd), Valentine's Day (Valentinstag, Feb 14th), and often Carnival (Karneval/Fasching) falls in February.