der  Gefrierpunkt

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈfʁiːɐ̯ˌpʊŋkt/

🌡️ What does 'der Gefrierpunkt' mean?

The German noun der Gefrierpunkt refers to the specific temperature at which a liquid transitions into a solid state under a given pressure; it freezes or solidifies.

In common usage, 'der Gefrierpunkt' usually refers to water and is 0 degrees Celsius (°C) or 32 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) at standard atmospheric pressure.

It is a masculine noun and always takes the article 'der'.

🧐 Grammar Deep Dive: Der Gefrierpunkt

The noun 'Gefrierpunkt' is masculine. Here is its declension:

Example Sentences

• Der Gefrierpunkt von Wasser liegt bei null Grad Celsius.
  (The freezing point of water is zero degrees Celsius.)
• Wir müssen Frostschutzmittel hinzufügen, um den Gefrierpunkt der Kühlflüssigkeit zu senken.
  (We need to add antifreeze to lower the freezing point of the coolant.)
• Die verschiedenen Flüssigkeiten haben unterschiedliche Gefrierpunkte.
  (Different liquids have different freezing points.)

📝 When to use 'Gefrierpunkt'?

The term 'Gefrierpunkt' is primarily used in the following contexts:

• Science & Technology: In physics and chemistry to describe phase transitions.
• Meteorology & Weather Reports: To describe temperatures around the zero-degree mark, especially in winter (risk of frost).
• Everyday Life: When cooking, freezing food, or in relation to heating and cooling systems (e.g., antifreeze).

It is more specific than 'Frost' (frost) or 'Kälte' (cold), as it denotes an exact temperature.

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article 'der': Think of 'der Punkt' (the point). The Gefrierpunkt is ONE specific point on the temperature scale. Points are often masculine in German ('der Punkt', 'der Standpunkt'...). Remember it as 'der point where it freezes'.

Meaning: Imagine water freezing ('gefrieren') at a certain 'Punkt' (point). Gefrieren + Punkt = Gefrierpunkt (Freezing + Point = Freezing Point).

↔️ Opposites and Similar Terms

😂 A Frosty Joke

Frage: Was sagt ein Thermometer, das unter den Gefrierpunkt fällt?

Antwort: "Mir ist eiskalt, ich glaube, ich erreiche gleich meinen Tiefpunkt!"

Translation:

Question: What does a thermometer say when it drops below the freezing point?

Answer: "I'm freezing cold, I think I'm about to reach my lowest point!" (Pun: 'Tiefpunkt' means lowest point, both literally temperature-wise and figuratively).

❄️ Poem about the Freezing Point

Sinkt die Skala, kalt und klar,
Wird die Flüssigkeit erstarrt, fürwahr.
Bei Null Grad Celsius, das ist der Punkt,
Wo Wasser zu Eis, ganz unverblümt.
Der Gefrierpunkt, kalt und rein,
Lässt die Welt in Frost erscheinen.

Translation:

When the scale drops, cold and clear,
The liquid solidifies, it's true.
At zero degrees Celsius, that is the point,
Where water turns to ice, quite plainly.
The freezing point, cold and pure,
Makes the world appear in frost.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin eine Zahl, doch auch ein Moment,
Den jede Flüssigkeit irgendwann kennt.
Für Wasser bin ich null, das weiß jedes Kind,
Wenn Kälte kommt und der Frost beginnt.

Was bin ich? ... Der Gefrierpunkt

Translation:

I am a number, but also a moment,
That every liquid eventually knows.
For water, I am zero, every child knows this,
When cold arrives and the frost begins.

What am I? ... Der Gefrierpunkt (The Freezing Point)

🧩 Further Details

Word Composition:

The word 'Gefrierpunkt' is a compound noun, composed of:

• gefrieren: The stem of the verb 'gefrieren' (to freeze).
• Punkt: Meaning 'point', referring to a specific value or location (here on a temperature scale).

Trivia: The freezing point (der Gefrierpunkt) isn't always exactly 0°C. It depends on pressure and dissolved substances in the liquid. For example, saltwater freezes at a lower temperature than freshwater.