der  Kot

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/koːt/

💩 What exactly is "der Kot"?

The German word der Kot refers to the solid or semi-solid excrement produced by humans and animals. It's generally a more factual or medical/biological term, but depending on the context, it can also be perceived as crude or colloquial.

There is only one article for this word: der Kot. So, it is always masculine.

Examples of use:

• Medical/Biological: Eine Probe von Kot wurde im Labor untersucht. (A sample of feces was examined in the lab.)
• General (Animal): Der Bauer fand viel Kot im Stall. (The farmer found a lot of dung/droppings in the barn. Here, "Mist" or "Dung" are also common.)
• Colloquial (rather negative): Pass auf, da liegt Kot auf dem Gehweg! (Watch out, there's feces/poop on the sidewalk!)

⚠️ Caution: Although it can be used factually, the word might be considered inappropriate or vulgar in some social situations. Words like "Stuhl(gang)" (medical) or "Ausscheidungen" (excretions) are often more neutral.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "der Kot"

"Kot" is a masculine noun. It is mostly used in the singular. The plural form "die Kote" is very rare and usually replaced by words like "Exkremente" (excrements) or "Ausscheidungen" (excretions).

Declension Singular

Note: The Dative and Genitive forms ending in "-e" (Kote, Kotes) are rather outdated or formal.

Declension Plural

As mentioned, the plural "die Kote" is extremely rare. Usually, alternatives are used:

• Die Exkremente (The excrements)
• Die Ausscheidungen (The excretions)
• Die Fäkalien (The feces)

📝 Example Sentences

1. Der Arzt benötigt eine Probe des Kots für die Untersuchung. (The doctor needs a sample of the feces for the examination. - Genitive)
2. Man sollte Hundebesitzer bitten, den Kot ihrer Tiere zu entfernen. (One should ask dog owners to remove their animals' droppings. - Accusative)
3. Vorsicht, tritt nicht in den Kot! (Careful, don't step in the poop! - Accusative)
4. In dem Kot wurden Parasiten gefunden. (Parasites were found in the feces. - Dative)

🗣️ How to use "Kot"?

The usage of der Kot strongly depends on the context:

• Medicine & Biology: Here, "Kot" is a neutral, factual technical term for human or animal excretions (e.g., Kotprobe - stool sample, Vogelkot - bird droppings).
• Agriculture: People tend to say "Mist" (dung mixed with straw) or "Dung" (manure as fertilizer). "Kot" is less common here.
• Everyday Language: The word can be perceived as rather direct and sometimes crude, especially when referring to human excrement. Depending on the situation, words like "Stuhlgang" (neutral, medical), "großes Geschäft" (euphemistic, 'big business'), "Haufen" (colloquial, 'pile', often for dogs), or even "Scheiße" (vulgar, 'shit') might be preferred.
• Figuratively: Less commonly, "Kot" can be used metaphorically for something very bad or worthless, similar to 'crap' or 'rubbish'. Example: "Was für ein Kot!" (What crap!) This is very colloquial.

A known idiom is "in den Kot treten", which means to get into an unpleasant situation or literally to step in excrement.

💡 Mnemonics for "der Kot"

Remembering the article (der): Think of "DER dirty stuff". Or imagine a man (der Mann) pointing and saying: "Eww, der Kot!"

Remembering the meaning: "Kot" sounds a bit like the English word "cot" (a small bed). Imagine the unpleasant surprise of finding Kot in a cot! Or, think of something you might 'kick' out - sounds a bit like KOT.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar but different words:

• die Quote: Has nothing to do with Kot, means 'quota' or 'rate'.
• das Kotelett: A 'cutlet' or 'chop' (meat), completely different meaning.

😂 A Little Joke

Treffen sich zwei Bakterien im Darm. Sagt die eine: "Du, ich glaube, wir sind in den Kot geraten!" Sagt die andere: "Ach was, das ist doch nur ein Haufen Mist!"

Translation: Two bacteria meet in the intestine. One says: "Hey, I think we've landed in feces!" The other says: "Nah, that's just a pile of crap!"

📜 Poem about the Cycle

Was Lebewesen nicht mehr brauchen,
muss aus dem Körper wieder rauschen.
Ob groß, ob klein, ob Mensch, ob Tier,
der Kot gehört zum Leben hier.

Was unten liegt, nicht schön anzusehen,
lässt doch oft neues Leben stehen.
Als Dünger dient er, reich und satt,
macht müden Boden wieder glatt.

Translation:
What living beings no longer need,
must rush out of the body indeed.
Whether big or small, human or beast,
the feces are part of life, at least.

What lies below, not nice to view,
often lets new life come through.
As fertilizer, rich and deep,
it makes tired soil secrets keep (become fertile again).

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin ein Rest, den keiner mag,
erscheine meist bei Nacht und Tag.
Man tritt mich ungern mit dem Schuh,
obwohl ich nützlich bin – na nu?
Der Gärtner freut sich, wenn ich dampfe,
doch auf dem Weg führt's oft zum Kampfe.

Was bin ich?
(... Der Kot)

Translation:
I am a remnant no one likes,
appearing mostly day and night.
People dislike stepping on me with their shoe,
although I'm useful – who knew?
The gardener rejoices when I steam,
but on the path, it often leads to screams (a fight).

What am I? (... Feces / Kot)

🤓 Trivia about "Kot"

Etymology: The word "Kot" comes from Middle High German "kōt" or "quāt", which originally meant 'dirt', 'filth', or even 'clay'. Related Old High German forms often had the meaning 'bad' or 'evil'.

Compounds: "Kot" is part of several compound words, e.g.:

• Vogelkot: Bird droppings.
• Tierkot: Animal droppings in general.
• Kotflügel: 'Mudguard' or 'fender' on a car, meant to keep away dirt (originally also dung/feces from the road).
• Kotprobe: A stool sample for medical analysis.