der  Schluss

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʃlʊs/

🏁 What does "der Schluss" mean?

Der Schluss (masculine) generally means the end or the conclusion of something. It can refer to various contexts:

• The temporal end of a process, event, or period (e.g., der Schluss des Films - the end of the movie, der Schluss des Jahres - the end of the year).
• The logical inference or result of reasoning or argumentation (e.g., einen Schluss ziehen - to draw a conclusion).
• The end of a relationship (e.g., mit jemandem Schluss machen - to break up with someone).
• The end of a text, speech, or narrative (e.g., der Schluss des Buches - the end of the book).
• The time when something closes (e.g., Ladenschluss - closing time).

⚠️ It's a very common word, often used in set phrases.

Article rules for der, die, and das

The Grammar of "der Schluss" 🧐

"Schluss" is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:

Example Sentences

1. Der Schluss des Films war überraschend. (The end of the movie was surprising.)
2. Wir müssen aus diesen Daten einen logischen Schluss ziehen. (We have to draw a logical conclusion from this data.)
3. Sie hat gestern mit ihm Schluss gemacht. (She broke up with him yesterday.)
4. Ich habe nur noch den Schluss des Buches gelesen. (I only read the end of the book.)
5. Bis zum Schluss der Veranstaltung blieben viele Gäste. (Many guests stayed until the end of the event.)

How to use "der Schluss"? 📝

"Der Schluss" is versatile:

• Temporal end: "Zum Schluss gab es noch Kaffee und Kuchen." (At the end, there was coffee and cake.) Here it's synonymous with "am Ende".
• Logical conclusion: Often used with the verb "ziehen" (to pull/draw): "Welchen Schluss ziehen Sie daraus?" (What conclusion do you draw from that?)
• Relationship end: The phrase "Schluss machen" (to break up) is very common. "Es ist schwer, Schluss zu machen." (It's hard to break up.)
• Exclamation/Command: "Schluss damit!" or "Jetzt ist aber Schluss!" means something should stop immediately (Enough of that! / That's enough now!).
• Part of compound words: Schlussverkauf (closing sale), Schlusspunkt (final point/full stop), Schlussstrich (final line), Ladenschluss (closing time), Redaktionsschluss (deadline/copy deadline).

Compared to "das Ende": "Schluss" often sounds a bit more abrupt or definitive, especially in the context of relationships or as an exclamation. "Das Ende" is more neutral. "Der Abschluss" often emphasizes a formal or planned endpoint (e.g., Projektabschluss - project completion).

💡 How to remember "der Schluss"

For the article: Think of Der Stopp sign telling you it's the Schluss (end) of the road. 'Der' for the masculine stop sign, 'der' for Schluss.

For the meaning: Imagine someone 'shutting' (which sounds like 'Schluss') the door forcefully – that's the end, the Schluss.

🔄 Similar and Opposite Words

🚨 Caution: Do not confuse with "das Schloss" (castle/lock) or "der Entschluss" (decision, resolution).

😄 A little joke

Warum nehmen Skelette nie am Schlussverkauf teil?
Weil sie keinen Körper haben, um etwas anzuprobieren!

(Why do skeletons never take part in the closing sale? Because they have no body to try anything on!)

📜 Poem about the End

Jede Reise, jedes Buch,
Jeder Tag und jeder Fluch,
Findet irgendwann sein Ziel,
Nach dem vielen Wechselspiel.
Ob laut, ob leise, ob abrupt,
Kommt der Schluss, ganz unverpuppt.
Ein Punkt gesetzt, ein Vorhang fällt,
Ein neues Blatt die Welt bestellt.

(Every journey, every book, / Every day and every look (or curse), / Finds its goal eventually, / After much interplay. / Whether loud, quiet, or abrupt, / Comes the end, quite undisguised. / A period placed, a curtain falls, / A new page the world prepares.)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin das Ende vom Lied,
Die Antwort, die man zieht.
Man macht mich mit 'ner Liebelei,
Und ruft mich, ist die Störung frei.

Was bin ich?

(I am the end of the song, / The answer that one draws. / One makes me with a love affair, / And shouts me when the disturbance is clear. / What am I?)
Solution: der Schluss (the end/conclusion)

✨ More Information

Word Formation: "Der Schluss" derives from the verb "schließen" (to close, to conclude). It describes the state or result of closing/concluding.

Interesting Idiom: The phrase "einen Schlussstrich ziehen" (literally: to draw a final line) means to put a definitive end to a matter and not revisit it.

Cultural Note: Der Schlussverkauf (often Winterschlussverkauf/Sommerschlussverkauf - winter/summer closing sale, abbreviated WSV/SSV) used to be a legally regulated sales period with reduced prices at the end of a season in Germany. Today it's more flexible, but the term persists.