der /
das
Link
🔗 What does Link actually mean?
The word Link in German has two different genders and meanings, both originating from English:
Der Link (masculine)
This is the most common usage. Der Link usually refers to a connection on the internet, a so-called hyperlink. It connects web pages or documents. You click on a Link to go to another page or piece of information.
Examples:
- A digital reference
- A connection between data
- A links golf course (rare, usually “der Links-Kurs”)
Das Link (neuter)
This meaning is much rarer and more specific. Das Link refers to an old English unit of length, especially in land surveying (part of Gunter's Chain). One Link is approximately 20.12 centimeters (about 7.92 inches).
Examples:
- A historical unit of length
- A link in a surveyor's chain
⚠️ Caution: This meaning is very uncommon in everyday language and mostly relevant in historical or very specialized contexts.
🧐 Link: Grammar in Detail
The declension of "Link" depends on its article and meaning.
Der Link (masculine)
Usually refers to the hyperlink or connection.
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (subject) | der | Link |
| Genitive (possessive) | des | Links |
| Dative (indirect object) | dem | Link |
| Accusative (direct object) | den | Link |
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Links |
| Genitive | der | Links |
| Dative | den | Links |
| Accusative | die | Links |
Example sentences for "der Link":
- Der Link führt zur Startseite. (The link leads to the homepage.)
- Ich habe dir den Link per E-Mail geschickt. (I sent you the link via email.)
- Die Farbe des Links ist blau. (The color of the link is blue.)
Das Link (neuter)
Refers to the unit of measurement.
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das | Link |
| Genitive | des | Links |
| Dative | dem | Link |
| Accusative | das | Link |
| Case | Article | Word |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Link (rarely: Links) |
| Genitive | der | Link (rarely: Links) |
| Dative | den | Link (rarely: Links) |
| Accusative | die | Link (rarely: Links) |
Note: For the unit of measure, the plural "die Link" is more common to distinguish it from "die Links" (hyperlinks).
Example sentences for "das Link":
💡 How to use Link in context
Der Link (masculine): The digital bridge 🌍
In modern German, der Link is by far the dominant form. When someone talks about a "Link," they almost always mean a hyperlink on the internet. It's a fundamental element of the World Wide Web, enabling navigation between various online content.
- Typical collocations: einen Link anklicken (to click a link), einen Link setzen (to set/create a link), ein defekter Link (a broken link), ein Link zur Webseite (a link to the website), ein interner/externer Link (an internal/external link).
- Context: Everywhere in the digital space – websites, emails, social media, text documents.
- Distinction: While "Verknüpfung" (connection) or "Verweis" (reference) are more general terms, "Link" is very specific in a digital context. A "URL" is the address that a Link points to.
Example: "Schickst du mir bitte den Link zu dem Artikel?" (Could you please send me the link to the article?)
Das Link (neuter): The historical measure 📏
Das Link as a unit of measurement is a special case. You might encounter it in historical texts, in the history of surveying technology, or perhaps in old novels. It no longer plays a role in everyday life.
- Typical collocations: eine Kette von ... Link (a chain of ... links), ... Link lang/breit (... links long/wide).
- Context: Historical land surveying, old technical documents.
Example: "Die alte Karte verzeichnete die Feldgrenze mit einer Länge von 50 Link." (The old map recorded the field boundary with a length of 50 links.)
🚨 It's important to distinguish between these two meanings and their articles, even though the masculine form is vastly more common.
🧠 Mnemonics for Link
For the articles (der/das):
Think of der Klick (the click) for der Link – it's a masculine, active thing you do on the internet.
Think of das Maß (the measure) for das Link – measures are often neuter and precise, like this old unit.
For the meanings:
A Link (der) links you quick and fast,
To knowledge meant to truly last.
A Link (das), a measure old and neat,
Marked out the land with tiny feet.
🔁 Link: Similar and opposite words
For "der Link" (hyperlink/connection):
Synonyms (words with similar meaning):
- Verknüpfung: General term for a connection.
- Verweis: Reference, points to something else.
- Hyperlink: The technical term for an electronic reference.
- Querverweis: A cross-reference within a document or to another.
- URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The address a link leads to (not the link itself, but closely related).
For "das Link" (unit of measure):
Synonyms:
- Maßeinheit: Unit of measure (general term).
- Längenmaß: Unit of length.
- Kettenglied (in the context of Gunter's Chain): A single element of the measuring chain.
Antonyms:
Direct antonyms are unusual for a unit of measurement.
⚠️ Confusion risk: The adjective "link" (meaning "left" as opposed to "right") or the verb "linken" (to deceive someone) are unrelated to the noun "Link" but sound similar.
😂 A little joke about Link
German: Fragt der Webdesigner seinen Kollegen: "Hast du einen funktionierenden Link zur Geduld?" Antwortet der Kollege: "Nein, tut mir leid. Der ist anscheinend Error 404: Not Found!"
English Translation: The web designer asks his colleague: "Do you have a working link to patience?" The colleague replies: "No, sorry. Apparently, it's Error 404: Not Found!"
📜 A poem about Link
German:
Der Link, so klein, ein Wort nur blau,
öffnet Tore, schlau und rau.
Ein Klick genügt, die Reise startet,
Wissen wartet, unerwartet.
Das Link, ein Maß aus alter Zeit,
maß Felder breit, voll Seltenheit.
Vergessen fast, doch einst gezählt,
Geschichte, die es still erzählt.
English Translation:
The Link (der), so small, a word in blue,
Opens gates, for me and you.
A click's enough, the journey starts,
Knowledge waits, in many parts.
The Link (das), a measure old and grand,
Measured fields across the land.
Almost forgotten, counted then,
A history it tells again.
🤔 A little riddle for the word Link
German:
Ich habe keine Seite, doch ich zeige dir viele.
Ich habe keinen Körper, doch verbinde Ziele.
Manchmal bin ich männlich, digital und flink,
manchmal sächlich, ein Maß, ein kleines Ding.
Was bin ich?
Auflösung: Der Link / Das Link
English Translation:
I have no page, yet I show you many.
I have no body, yet I connect any (goals/destinations).
Sometimes I'm masculine, digital and quick,
Sometimes neuter, a measure, a little trick (or thing).
What am I?
Answer: Der Link / Das Link (The link)
⚙️ Other facts about Link
- Word Origin: Both meanings of "Link" in German derive from the English word "link," meaning "connection," "ring (of a chain)."
- Der Link in Golf: There is also "der Links-Platz" or "der Linkskurs" in golf, which refers to a specific type of golf course, often near the coast. This is another, but less common, meaning of "der Link".
- Das Link and Gunter's Chain: The unit of measurement "das Link" is part of "Gunter's Chain" (Guntersche Kette), a measuring instrument developed in the 17th century by English mathematician Edmund Gunter. One chain consisted of 100 links.
- "Verlinken": The corresponding verb is "verlinken," e.g., "Ich verlinke dich auf meiner Webseite." (I will link to you on my website.)
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Link?
In the vast majority of cases, it is der Link (masculine) when referring to a digital connection or hyperlink. The form das Link (neuter) refers to an outdated unit of measurement and is very rare.