der
Husten
🤧 What does 'der Husten' mean?
Der Husten means 'the cough' in English. It refers to the sudden, often loud expulsion of air from the lungs, typically as a reflex to clear the airways or as a symptom of an illness (e.g., Erkältung - cold, Bronchitis).
It is a masculine noun (Substantiv).
- Meaning 1: The act of coughing (Er unterdrückte seinen Husten. - He suppressed his cough.)
- Meaning 2: The sound of a cough (Man hörte seinen lauten Husten durch die Wand. - One heard his loud cough through the wall.)
- Meaning 3: The condition of having a cough as a symptom (Sein Husten hält schon seit Tagen an. - His cough has persisted for days.)
⚠️ Don't confuse it with the verb husten (lowercase), which describes the action: Er muss husten. - He has to cough.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-en → mostly masculine.
1. All diminutives with '-chen' are neutral, like 'das Mädchen'. 2. Nouns derived from verbs are always neutral ('das Schrieben'). 3. There are many -en words, we won't list them all.
🧐 Grammar of 'der Husten' in Detail
Der Husten is a masculine noun. It is mainly used in the singular. The plural form (die Husten) is rare and usually used to describe different types of coughs or individual coughing fits, but it's rather uncommon.
| Case | Article | Word | (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Husten | (the cough) |
| Genitive | des | Hustens | (of the cough) |
| Dative | dem | Husten | (to/for the cough) |
| Accusative | den | Husten | (the cough) |
| Case | Article | Word | (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Husten | (the coughs) |
| Genitive | der | Husten | (of the coughs) |
| Dative | den | Husten | (to/for the coughs) |
| Accusative | die | Husten | (the coughs) |
📝 Examples
🗣️ Everyday Usage
Der Husten is mostly used in the context of illnesses and physical complaints.
- Typical Adjectives: trockener Husten (dry cough), fester Husten (chesty cough, lit. 'firm cough'), bellender Husten (barking cough), chronischer Husten (chronic cough), leichter Husten (slight cough), starker Husten (bad/strong cough).
- Verbs: Husten haben (to have a cough), Husten bekommen (to get a cough), den Husten lindern (to soothe the cough), den Husten behandeln (to treat the cough).
- Context: Doctor's visits (Arztbesuch), describing symptoms of a cold (Erkältung) or flu (Grippe), conversations about health (Gesundheit).
- Distinction: Das Räuspern is a quieter sound to clear the throat, not necessarily illness-related. Das Niesen (sneezing) is a different respiratory reflex.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: Think of a strong DER-vish (whirling dancer) who suddenly stops because he has a loud Husten. The 'DER' in dervish helps remember the masculine article.
Meaning Mnemonic: Husten sounds a bit like 'whoosht-en'. Imagine the 'whoosh' sound air makes when someone is coughing strongly.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Das Hüsteln: (a slight, brief cough)
- Der Hustenanfall: (a coughing fit)
- Der Reizhusten: (a dry, tickly cough, lit. 'irritation cough')
- Der Keuchhusten: (whooping cough - a specific disease)
Antonyms (opposites - in a broader sense):
- Die Gesundheit: (health)
- Die Stille: (silence - regarding the sound)
- Das Wohlbefinden: (well-being)
Potentially Confusing Words:
- husten (verb): to cough
- Der Schnupfen: a stuffy or runny nose (the sniffles), often an accompanying symptom
😂 A Little Joke
German: Fragt der Arzt den Patienten: "Haben Sie starken Husten?" Patient: "Nein, Herr Doktor, ich huste eigentlich ganz gerne!"
English Translation: The doctor asks the patient: "Do you have a bad cough?" Patient: "No, Doctor, I actually quite enjoy coughing!"
📜 Poem about 'der Husten'
German:
Ein Kratzen erst, ganz tief im Hals,
dann kommt er plötzlich, jedenfalls.
Der Husten schüttelt Brust und Bauch,
vertreibt die Ruh', den Schlaf oft auch.
Mal trocken, bellend, mal mit Schleim,
man wünscht sich schnell: Ich wär daheim!
English Translation:
A tickle first, deep in the throat,
then suddenly it comes, afloat.
The cough shakes chest and belly too,
banishes peace, and sleep from view.
Sometimes dry, or barking, phlegmy plight,
one quickly wishes: home feels right!
🕵️ Who am I?
German:
Ich bin ein Geräusch, mal laut, mal leise,
begleite oft die Krankheitsreise.
Ich reinige die Lungenbahn,
manchmal hörst du mich nebenan.
Was bin ich?
Lösung: Der Husten
English Translation:
I am a sound, sometimes loud, sometimes low,
often accompanying illness's flow.
I clear the airway's path,
sometimes you hear me in the aftermath.
What am I?
Solution: Der Husten (The cough)
💡 Other Interesting Info
Word Formation: The word 'Husten' (noun) is closely related to the verb 'husten' (to cough). It is a nominalization of the verb stem.
Idiom: Jemandem etwas husten (colloquial, usually negative): roughly translates to 'tell someone where to get off' or 'no way I'm doing that for you'. Example: "Ich werde dir was husten und dir mein Fahrrad leihen!" (lit. "I will cough something at you and lend you my bike!" meaning "Fat chance I'm lending you my bike!"). This usage is idiomatic and not directly related to the physical act of coughing.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Husten?
The German word for "cough" is der Husten. It is a masculine noun and describes the sound, action, or symptom of coughing.