der  Schnee

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʃneː/

🌨️ What is "der Schnee"?

Der Schnee is the German word for snow. It refers to frozen precipitation in the form of ice crystals that fall from the sky as flakes (Flocken) and can cover the ground (den Boden bedecken).

It's a typical phenomenon (Phänomen) in winter (im Winter) in many parts of the world.

🚨 In a figurative, often colloquial and somewhat dated sense, "Schnee" can also mean cocaine. However, this is not the primary meaning and should be used with caution (mit Vorsicht verwenden). ⚠️

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Schnee

"Schnee" is a masculine noun (maskulines Substantiv). It is mostly used as an uncountable noun (unzählbares Nomen) and therefore typically doesn't have a plural form.

When referring to different types of snow (e.g., Pulverschnee - powder snow, Nassschnee - wet snow), a plural form ("die Schnee") can theoretically be formed, but this is very rare and mainly used in technical language (fachsprachlich).

Declension (Singular)

Example Sentences

1. Im Winter liegt oft viel Schnee in den Bergen.
   (In winter, there is often a lot of snow in the mountains.)
2. Die Kinder spielen im Schnee.
   (The children are playing in the snow.)
3. Wir warten auf den ersten Schnee des Jahres.
   (We are waiting for the first snow of the year.)
4. Der kalte Wind wehte den Schnee über das Feld.
   (The cold wind blew the snow across the field.)
5. Das Geräusch des Schnees unter meinen Stiefeln ist beruhigend.
   (The sound of the snow under my boots is calming.)

❄️ How to use "Schnee"?

"Schnee" is mainly used in the context of weather (Wetter) and seasons (Jahreszeiten).

• Weather Reports: "Morgen wird mit starkem Schneefall gerechnet." (Heavy snowfall is expected tomorrow.)
• Winter Activities: Skiing (Skifahren), snowboarding, building a snowman (Schneemann bauen) – all these require Schnee.
• Descriptions: A landscape can be "schneebedeckt" (snow-covered).
• Idioms (Redewendungen):
  • "Schnee von gestern" - literally "snow from yesterday", meaning something that is no longer relevant or current (water under the bridge).
  • "Sich freuen wie ein Schneekönig" - literally "to be happy like a snow king" (actually refers to the wren bird), meaning to be extremely happy.

Although "Schnee" is mostly uncountable, people often talk about "Neuschnee" (fresh snow) or "Altschnee" (old snow, often compacted or icy).

🧠 Memory Aids for "der Schnee"

For the Article: Imagine a strong man (der Mann) shoveling den Schnee. The masculine person helps remember the masculine article der.

For the Meaning: Think of the shivering cold when you see snow. Schnee sounds a bit like snow.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Schnee

🚨 Be careful: Don't confuse "Schnee" (snow) with "Eis" (ice). Eis is frozen water, whereas Schnee consists of frozen ice crystals formed in the atmosphere.

😄 A Little Joke

Was sagt ein Schneemann zum anderen?

"Du, ich glaube, ich rieche Karotten!" 🥕

What does one snowman say to the other?

"Hey, I think I smell carrots!" 🥕

📜 Snow Poem

Leise Flocken tanzen nieder,
decken sanft das Land nun zu.
Weiß und still sind alle Lieder,
Winter bringt uns seine Ruh'.

Der Schnee so rein, der Schnee so klar,
macht die Welt zum Wunderland.
Ein frostig kalter Hauch, fürwahr,
liegt über Stadt und über Land.

(Soft flakes dance down low,
Gently cover the land now.
White and silent are all songs,
Winter brings us its calm.)

(The snow so pure, the snow so clear,
Turns the world into a wonderland.
A frosty cold breath, indeed,
Lies over city and over land.)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich falle leis' vom Himmel herab,
mach' alles weiß, ganz ohne Farb'.
Im Winter bin ich oft zu Haus,
Kinder bau'n Figuren draus.

Was bin ich?

(Lösung: Der Schnee)

(I fall quietly from the sky,
Make everything white, without any dye.
In winter, I am often at home,
Children build figures from me when they roam.)

(What am I?)

(Solution: Der Schnee / Snow)

💡 More about Schnee

Word Compounds (Komposita): "Schnee" is part of many German words:

• Schneemann: Snowman (a figure built from snow).
• Schneeball: Snowball (snow formed into a ball).
• Schneeflocke: Snowflake (a single ice crystal or cluster).
• Schneesturm: Snowstorm / blizzard (strong wind with snowfall).
• Schneeglöckchen: Snowdrop (a flower that often blooms while snow is still on the ground).

Interesting Fact: No two snowflakes (Schneeflocken) are exactly alike!