der
Samstagabend
🌆 What exactly is a Samstagabend?
Der Samstagabend refers to the part of the day on Saturday that comes after the afternoon and before the night. It's the time span from the late afternoon/early evening (around 6 PM) until late evening (around midnight) on Saturday. For many, it's the last evening of the work week and is often associated with leisure activities, relaxation, or social gatherings.
Since it's a compound word made of Samstag (Saturday) and Abend (evening), the last word (the base word) determines the gender. Der Abend is masculine, therefore it's der Samstagabend.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Weekdays, months, seasons → almost always masculine.
Caution: see exceptions
🧐 Grammar Focus: Der Samstagabend
The noun „Samstagabend“ is masculine. Here are the declension tables:
Singular
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | der Samstagabend | ein Samstagabend |
| Genitive (Possessive) | des Samstagabends / Samstagabendes | eines Samstagabends / Samstagabendes |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | dem Samstagabend / Samstagabende | einem Samstagabend / Samstagabende |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | den Samstagabend | einen Samstagabend |
Plural
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Samstagabende | Samstagabende |
| Genitive | der Samstagabende | Samstagabende |
| Dative | den Samstagabenden | Samstagabenden |
| Accusative | die Samstagabende | Samstagabende |
💡 Example Sentences
- Nominativ: Der Samstagabend ist perfekt für einen Kinobesuch. (Saturday evening is perfect for a visit to the cinema.)
- Genitiv: Die Planung des Samstagabends dauerte nicht lange. (Planning the Saturday evening didn't take long.)
- Dativ: Wir treffen uns an diesem Samstagabend im Restaurant. (We are meeting at the restaurant this Saturday evening.)
- Akkusativ: Ich genieße den Samstagabend zu Hause auf dem Sofa. (I enjoy Saturday evening at home on the sofa.)
- Plural: Die letzten Samstagabende waren alle sehr schön. (The last Saturday evenings were all very nice.)
🗣️ How to Use Samstagabend
„Samstagabend“ is used to refer to the specific timeframe on Saturday. Typical contexts include:
- Time specification: „Was machst du am Samstagabend?“ (What are you doing on Saturday evening?)
- Planning leisure activities: „Für Samstagabend haben wir Karten fürs Theater.“ (We have tickets for the theatre for Saturday evening.)
- Describing a recurring time: „Samstagabends gehen wir oft tanzen.“ (On Saturday evenings, we often go dancing.) - Note: Often used in plural or adverbially here: samstagabends.
- Distinguishing from other times: „Der Samstagabend ist mir heilig, da entspanne ich.“ (Saturday evening is sacred to me; that's when I relax.)
It's a very common word in German to mark the end of the week and the start of weekend leisure time.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: Think of the base word: der Abend (the evening). The last part of a compound noun usually determines the article. Just as Abend is masculine (der), so is der Samstagabend.
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine Samstag (Saturday) winding down and putting on its cozy Abend (evening) robe. That’s the Samstagabend!
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Similar Words)
Antonyms (Opposite Words)
- Samstagmorgen: Saturday morning.
- Samstagnachmittag: Saturday afternoon.
- Sonntagabend: Sunday evening.
- Wochentagabend: Weekday evening (Monday to Friday).
😂 A Little Saturday Evening Fun
Warum gehen Skelette am Samstagabend nicht gerne aus?
Weil sie niemanden zum Hingehen haben!
(Why don't skeletons like going out on Saturday evening? Because they have no body to go with!)
📜 A Poem for the Evening Off
Die Woche eilt, die Arbeit ruht,
Der Samstagabend tut so gut.
Ob Party, Film, ob still daheim,
So soll der Wochenausklang sein.
Der Mond schaut zu, die Sterne klar,
Der schönste Abend, wunderbar!
(The week speeds by, the work rests, / Saturday evening feels so good. / Whether party, film, or quiet at home, / That's how the weekend's end should be. / The moon looks on, the stars are clear, / The loveliest evening, wonderful!)
❓ Little Riddle
Ich komme nach des Tages Müh,
am sechsten Tag, ganz spät und früh.
Bin oft gefüllt mit Freud und Tanz,
bevor der Sonntag kommt im Glanz.
Was bin ich?
(I come after the day's toil, / on the sixth day, both late and early [referring to the evening hours]. / I'm often filled with joy and dance, / before Sunday arrives in splendor. / What am I?)
Solution: Der Samstagabend (Saturday evening)
🧩 More Interesting Facts
Word Composition:
The word „Samstagabend“ is a compound noun, composed of:
- Samstag: Saturday, the sixth day of the week. The word derives from the Greek sabbaton (via Old High German sambaztac), ultimately tracing back to the Hebrew Sabbath.
- Abend: Evening, the time of day between afternoon and night.
Regional Variants:
As mentioned earlier, Sonnabendabend is a common variant, especially in Northern Germany. There is no difference in meaning.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Samstagabend?
The word "Samstagabend" is a masculine noun. The correct article is der Samstagabend (e.g., der Samstagabend war schön - the Saturday evening was nice). The genitive case is des Samstagabends and the plural is die Samstagabende.