der
Schimmel
📖 What Exactly is 'Schimmel'?
The German word der Schimmel has two main meanings:
Mold / Mildew (Fungus) 🍄: An often unwanted fungal growth that appears on organic material (food, walls, wood, etc.) in damp conditions. This Schimmel can be white, green, black, or other colors.
Example: Schimmel (mold) formed in the cellar due to the dampness.
White Horse 🐎: A horse with white fur. This often refers to a specific color variation in horses that turn white with age (ausgeschimmelt - grayed out).
Example: The prince rode on a magnificent Schimmel (white horse).
Both meanings use the masculine article der.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-el → mostly masculine.
1. Caution: many exceptions. 2. there are many -el words, we don't list them all.
🧐 Grammar of 'der Schimmel' in Detail
The noun der Schimmel is masculine. Here are the declension tables:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Schimmel |
| Genitive | des | Schimmels |
| Dative | dem | Schimmel |
| Accusative | den | Schimmel |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Schimmel |
| Genitive | der | Schimmel |
| Dative | den | Schimmeln |
| Accusative | die | Schimmel |
Note: The plural die Schimmel is used for both meanings (different types of mold or multiple white horses).
💬 Example Sentences
- Schimmel (Mold): Der Schimmel an der Wand muss entfernt werden. (The mold on the wall must be removed.)
- Schimmel (Mold): Wir untersuchten die Sporen des Schimmels. (We examined the spores of the mold.)
- Schimmel (Mold): Mit diesem Mittel wirken wir dem Schimmel entgegen. (With this agent, we counteract the mold.)
- Schimmel (Mold): Ich habe den Schimmel im Bad entdeckt. (I discovered the mold in the bathroom.)
- Schimmel (Horse): Der Schimmel galoppierte über die Wiese. (The white horse galloped across the meadow.)
- Schimmel (Horse): Das Fell des Schimmels glänzte in der Sonne. (The white horse's coat shone in the sun.)
- Schimmel (Horse): Ich gab dem Schimmel einen Apfel. (I gave the white horse an apple.)
- Schimmel (Horse): Siehst du den schönen Schimmel dort drüben? (Do you see the beautiful white horse over there?)
- Schimmel (Horses): Die Schimmel auf der Koppel sind prächtig. (The white horses in the paddock are magnificent.)
💡 Everyday Usage
The use of der Schimmel clearly depends on the context:
- Context 'Mold': Often used in relation to household problems (bathroom, cellar, walls), spoiled food (bread, fruit), or in biological/medical contexts. The related adjective is schimmelig or verschimmelt (moldy).
- Context 'Horse': Used in conversations about horses, in literature (fairy tales, novels), or in animal breeding. One often speaks of an 'edler Schimmel' (noble white horse).
Confusion is rare due to the distinct contexts but possible if the context is unclear. The word Schimmelpilz (mold fungus) is often used to explicitly emphasize the mold meaning.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Schimmel'
For the article 'der': Imagine Der Mann (the man - masculine) complaining about the Schimmel (mold) on his wall, OR der Ritter (the knight - masculine) riding his white Schimmel. Both main figures are masculine.
For the meanings: Think of something white: white mold (Schimmelpilz) can look like snow, and a white horse (Schimmel) is also white. Associate the German word Schimmel with the color white, which applies visually to both meanings (even though mold isn't always white).
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms
- For Schimmel (Mold):
- Schimmelpilz (more specific: mold fungus)
- Moder (often for decay in wood or damp earth)
- For Schimmel (Horse):
- Weißling (poetic, rare: white one)
- Apfelschimmel (dapple grey horse)
Antonyms
- For Schimmel (Mold):
- Sauberkeit (cleanliness)
- Hygiene (hygiene)
- For Schimmel (Horse):
- Rappe (black horse)
- Fuchs (chestnut/bay horse)
⚠️ Similar Sounding Words
- Schimmer (der): a shimmer, glimmer. Don't confuse them!
😄 A Little Joke
Warum hat der Schimmelpilz nie Streit?
Weil er immer nachgibt und sich überall ausbreitet!
(Why does mold never argue? Because it always gives way and spreads everywhere! - Play on 'nachgeben' meaning 'to give in' and 'sich ausbreiten' meaning 'to spread')
📜 A Poem About Schimmel
Ob an der Wand, ob stolzes Tier,
Der Schimmel, ja, der ist hier.
Mal grau und grün, ein Pilzgeflecht,
Mal weiß und edel, wunderschön und echt.
Im Keller lauert er, ganz leis,
Auf Brot wird er zum faden Greis.
Doch auf der Koppel, stolz und rein,
Trabt er im hellen Sonnenschein.
Whether on the wall, or a proud steed,
Der Schimmel, yes, it's here indeed.
Sometimes gray and green, a fungal mesh,
Sometimes white and noble, beautiful and fresh.
In the cellar it lurks, quietly,
On bread, it turns old and unsightly.
But in the paddock, proud and pure,
It trots in the bright sunshine, secure.
🧩 Who or What Am I?
Ich kann ein edles Reittier sein,
strahlend weiß und wunderschön fein.
Doch wachse ich auch an feuchter Wand,
bin oft als Plage wohlbekannt.
Was bin ich?
I can be a noble steed to ride,
Shining white, with beauty fine inside.
But I also grow on walls when damp,
Often known as quite a nasty scamp.
What am I?
Solution: Der Schimmel
✨ Other Information
- Etymology: The word 'Schimmel' for the horse likely derives from Old High German 'scimbal' (shining, gleaming), referring to the light color. The meaning 'mold' was added later, possibly due to the often whitish color of the fungus.
- Related Words: schimmeln (verb: to become moldy), verschimmeln (verb: to become completely moldy), schimmelig (adjective: moldy).
- Cultural Note: The Schimmel (white horse) plays a role in many German fairy tales and legends, often as the mount of heroes or kings (e.g., Der Schimmelreiter - The Rider on the White Horse, a famous novella).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Schimmel?
The German word Schimmel is always masculine. The correct article is der, used for both the mold/mildew meaning and the white horse meaning. So, you always say der Schimmel.