der  Gang

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡaŋ/

🚶‍♂️ What does "der Gang" actually mean?

The word der Gang is a versatile German noun with several meanings. Since it only takes the article der, it is always masculine.

• Way of walking, gait: Describes how someone walks. Example: Er hat einen schnellen Gang. (He has a fast gait.)
• A walk, stroll: Movement on foot. Example: Ein Gang an der frischen Luft tut gut. (A walk in the fresh air does good.)
• Corridor, hallway: A long, narrow passage in a building. Example: Die Zimmer liegen alle am selben Gang. (The rooms are all on the same hallway.)
• Course of a meal: A part of a meal, e.g., starter, main course, dessert. Example: Der erste Gang war eine Suppe. (The first course was a soup.)
• Gear (e.g., car, bicycle): A setting of the transmission. Example: Ich schalte in den dritten Gang. (I shift into third gear.)
• Process, course (often figurative): The way something proceeds or develops. Example: Der Gang der Ereignisse war nicht aufzuhalten. (The course of events could not be stopped.) / Der normale Gang der Dinge. (The normal course of things.)
• (Mining) Vein, lode: A deposit of ore or minerals in rock. Example: Die Bergleute folgten dem Erzgang. (The miners followed the ore vein.)

⚠️ Pay attention to the context to understand the correct meaning!

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "der Gang" in Detail

The noun der Gang is masculine. Here are the declension tables:

📝 Example Sentences

1. (Gait): Sein Gang wirkte unsicher nach der Verletzung. (His gait seemed unsteady after the injury.)
2. (Walk): Machen wir einen kurzen Gang durch den Park? (Shall we take a short walk through the park?)
3. (Hallway): Bitte warten Sie im Gang. (Please wait in the hallway.)
4. (Meal course): Als Hauptgang gab es Fisch. (The main course was fish.)
5. (Gear): Lege den ersten Gang ein, um anzufahren. (Put it in first gear to start driving.)
6. (Course of events): Der Gang der Verhandlungen ist kompliziert. (The course of the negotiations is complicated.)

💡 How to Use "der Gang" Correctly

Context is Key!

The meaning of der Gang is almost always clear from the context of the sentence:

• When talking about locomotion, it means gait or a walk/stroll.
• In buildings, der Gang refers to the hallway or corridor.
• During meals, der Gang is a course of the menu.
• In a technical context (car, bike), der Gang denotes the gear. Common phrase: "einen Gang einlegen/hochschalten/runterschalten" (to put in/shift up/shift down a gear).
• Figuratively, der Gang describes the course or process of things ("der Gang der Welt" - the way of the world, "der Gang der Dinge" - the course of things).

Typical Expressions

• in Gang kommen/bringen: to get started, to get going / to initiate something
• im Gange sein: to be in progress, to be underway
• jemandem auf den Gang gehen (coll.): to annoy someone (rare)
• der letzte Gang: the final journey (funeral procession)
• ein toter Gang: a dead end
• einen Gang zulegen: to speed up, to pick up the pace

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Gang"

Mnemonic for the Article 'der'

Imagine: Der strong man takes a Gang (walk) down the long Gang (hallway), eats every Gang (course) of his meal, and then shifts into the next Gang (gear). (Masculine associations help remember 'der').

Mnemonic for the Meanings

I take a Gang (walk) down the Gang (hallway), see someone's funny Gang (gait), order three Gänge (courses), and drive home in first Gang (gear). That's the Gang (course) of the day.

🔄 Similar and Opposite Words

⚠️ Potential for Confusion

• die Gang: This is borrowed from English and means 'gang' (group, often criminal). Do not confuse it with 'der Gang'!
• gehen: The verb 'to go' or 'to walk', from which 'der Gang' is derived.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nimmt ein Skelett nie den Fahrstuhl?

Weil es lieber den Knochen-Gang nimmt! 😉

(Why does a skeleton never take the elevator? Because it prefers to take the bone-walk/bone-hallway! - A pun on 'Gang' and 'Knochen' meaning bone)

📜 Poem about "der Gang"

Der Gang, mal schnell, mal langsam sacht,
Ein jeder Schritt, mit Bedacht gemacht.
Im Haus führt er von Tür zu Tür,
Als Speise stillt er unsre Gier.
Im Auto treibt er uns voran,
So vielseitig ist dieser Mann!
Der Gang der Zeit, er bleibt nicht steh'n,
Wir müssen lernen, mitzugeh'n.

--- English Translation ---

The gait, sometimes fast, sometimes gently slow,
Each step taken, carefully so.
In the house, it leads from door to door,
As a food course, it satisfies our desire for more.
In the car, it drives us onward, the next gear,
So versatile is this 'man' here!
The course of time, it does not stay,
We must learn to go along the way.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin ein Weg, den du beschreitest,
Auch eine Speise, die du bereitest.
Ich bin im Haus ein langer Raum,
Und bring' dein Auto aus dem Traum (des Stillstands).

Was bin ich?

Lösung: der Gang

--- English Translation ---

I am a path that you walk upon,
Also a dish that you dine thereon.
I am a long room within a house,
And get your car moving, like a roused mouse.

What am I?

Solution: der Gang

ℹ️ Further Information

Word Components & Origin

Der Gang is directly derived from the verb gehen (to go, to walk). It originally describes the action of walking or the result of it (the path taken).

Compound Words (Examples)

• Eingang: Entrance (where one goes in)
• Ausgang: Exit (where one goes out)
• Durchgang: Passage, thoroughfare
• Rundgang: Tour, round trip (walking)
• Sonntagsgang: Sunday walk
• Jahrgang: Year group, vintage (e.g., wine)
• Studiengang: Course of study, degree program
• Rückgang: Decline, decrease
• Vorgang: Process, event, incident
• Lehrgang: Course, training program