der
Kalender
🗓️ What Exactly is a Kalender?
Der Kalender (masculine, article: der) is a system for dividing time into years, months, weeks, and days. It helps keep track of dates and plan events.
There are different types of calendars:
- Wandkalender: Wall calendar, often with pictures.
- Taschenkalender/Terminplaner: Pocket calendar/diary/planner, small and portable for noting appointments (Termine).
- Digitaler Kalender: Digital calendar on computers, smartphones, or tablets (e.g., Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar).
- Adventskalender: A special calendar for the Advent season before Christmas with 24 doors.
Figuratively, Kalender can also refer to a schedule or sequence of events (e.g., der politische Kalender - the political agenda/schedule).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-er → mostly masculine.
1. Caution: many exceptions. 2. almost all -euer nouns are neutral. 3. There are many -er words, we don't list them all.
🧐 Grammar: Der Kalender in Detail
The word Kalender is a masculine noun. The article is der.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Kalender |
| Genitive | des | Kalenders |
| Dative | dem | Kalender |
| Accusative | den | Kalender |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kalender |
| Genitive | der | Kalender |
| Dative | den | Kalendern |
| Accusative | die | Kalender |
📝 Example Sentences
- Hast du schon einen neuen Kalender für nächstes Jahr gekauft?
(Have you bought a new calendar for next year yet?) - Ich muss den Termin in meinem Kalender eintragen.
(I have to enter the appointment in my calendar.) - Der Kalender an der Wand zeigt den falschen Monat an.
(The calendar on the wall shows the wrong month.) - Laut Kalender ist heute Dienstag.
(According to the calendar, today is Tuesday.) - Die Geburtstage aller Kollegen stehen im gemeinsamen Kalender.
(All colleagues' birthdays are in the shared calendar.)
💡 How to Use der Kalender
The term Kalender is mainly used in the context of time planning and organisation.
- Everyday life: "Ich schaue kurz in meinen Kalender, ob ich da Zeit habe." (I'll quickly check my calendar to see if I have time then.)
- Work: "Bitte senden Sie mir eine Termineinladung für unseren digitalen Kalender." (Please send me a meeting invitation for our digital calendar.)
- Planning: "Der Kalender hilft uns, Feiertage und Ferien im Blick zu behalten." (The calendar helps us keep track of holidays and vacations.)
Difference from "Terminplaner": While Kalender refers to the general system of time division or the object itself (Wandkalender etc.), a Terminplaner is specifically a (often portable) book or app for entering appointments (Termine). However, in everyday language, the terms are often used interchangeably, especially for digital versions.
⚠️ Remember to use the correct masculine article "der".
🧠 Mnemonics to Remember
Article Mnemonic: Think of Derek Jeter (a famous male athlete, hence 'der') checking his busy schedule on his Kalender. Derek's KalenDER.
Meaning Mnemonic: A Kalender helps you call enders to boring meetings by showing you when they are scheduled, or it helps you call in दर (dar = door in Hindi) days, marking them on its pages.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms
- Terminplaner: (Especially for portable calendars with appointment functions; planner, diary)
- Almanach: (Often includes additional info like astronomical data, farmer's rules; almanac)
- Jahresplaner: (Focuses on the year overview; year planner)
- Zeitplan: (More for a sequence of events; schedule, timetable)
⚠️ Similar but Different Words
- Termin (der): A single scheduled time for a meeting or event; an appointment. A Kalender contains Termine.
😄 A Little Joke
DE: Warum hat der Kalender so viele Freunde?
Weil er immer auf dem neuesten Stand ist und für jeden Tag ein Date hat! 😉
EN: Why does the calendar have so many friends?
Because it's always up-to-date and has a date every day! 😉
📜 Poem about the Kalender
DE:
Der Kalender, Tag für Tag,
zeigt uns, was die Zeit so mag.
Montag, Dienstag, Jahr um Jahr,
macht die Planung hell und klar.
Ob digital, ob an der Wand,
er führt uns sicher durch das Land
der Stunden, Wochen, schnell verronnen,
hat stets die Zeit im Griff gewonnen.
EN:
The calendar, day by day,
Shows us what time likes to play.
Monday, Tuesday, year by year,
Makes the planning bright and clear.
Whether digital or on the wall,
It guides us safely through the land
Of hours, weeks, quickly passed,
Has always got time grasped.
❓ Riddle Time
DE:
Ich habe Blätter, doch bin kein Baum.
Ich zeige die Zeit, doch bin kein Uhrenraum.
Ich helfe dir planen, das ganze Jahr,
sag, wer bin ich, ist dir das klar?
Lösung: Der Kalender
EN:
I have leaves, but I am not a tree.
I show the time, but no clock room for me.
I help you plan, the whole year through,
Tell me, who am I, is it clear to you?
Solution: The Calendar (der Kalender)
✨ Other Interesting Info
Word Origin (Wortherkunft): The German word Kalender comes from the Latin word calendarium, which originally meant "account book". The Kalendae in the Roman calendar were the first days of the month, when interest was due and public proclamations were made.
Julian vs. Gregorian Calendar: Most countries today use the Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct inaccuracies in the older Julian calendar.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kalender?
The German word for "calendar" is der Kalender (masculine). It refers to a system for organising time (days, weeks, months) or an object (like a wall calendar or planner) used for managing time and appointments.