der  Schuppen

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈʃʊpən/

🛖 What does "der Schuppen" mean?

The German word der Schuppen primarily has two meanings:

1. A small, simple building: Often found in the garden or yard, used for storing tools, bicycles, wood, etc. Comparable to a shed or outbuilding.

   Example: Der Rasenmäher steht im Schuppen. (The lawnmower is in the shed.)

2. A push, a shove (colloquial/regional): A rather rare and often only regionally understood meaning for a sudden push or shove.

   Example (rare): Er gab ihm einen Schuppen, und er fiel hin. (He gave him a shove, and he fell down.)

🚨 Important Note: Do not confuse this with die Schuppen (plural)! Die Schuppen is the plural of die Schuppe (e.g., fish scales, dandruff). Although the plural form sounds and is spelled the same, the gender of the singular is different, and the meaning is entirely unrelated!

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "der Schuppen" in Detail

The noun "Schuppen" is masculine.

⚠️ Note: The plural "die Schuppen" is identical in form to the plural of "die Schuppe" (scale). The context makes it clear whether buildings or scales (from skin/fish) are meant.

Example Sentences

• Der alte Schuppen hinter dem Haus wird bald abgerissen. (The old shed behind the house will be torn down soon.) - Meaning: building
• Wir lagern die Gartenmöbel über den Winter im Schuppen. (We store the garden furniture in the shed over winter.) - Meaning: building
• (Rare) Mit einem kräftigen Schuppen stieß er die Tür auf. (With a strong push, he shoved the door open.) - Meaning: push
• Pass auf die vielen Schuppen auf dem Boden auf – die Kinder haben gebastelt. (Watch out for the many scales/flakes on the floor – the children were crafting.) - Here: plural of die Schuppe, not der Schuppen!

💬 How to use "der Schuppen"?

Context "Building":

• Very common for simple outbuildings in gardens or yards.
• Typical things found in a Schuppen: garden tools (Gartengeräte), bikes (Fahrräder), tools (Werkzeug), wood (Holz), old furniture (alte Möbel).
• Synonyms like Gartenlaube (garden shed, often more pleasant), Geräteschuppen (tool shed), or Holzschuppen (woodshed) specify the use. Remise is a bit more formal (coach house/storage). Baracke (hut, shack) can sound derogatory or refer to a very simple, temporary structure.

Context "Push/Shove":

• This meaning is rare, rather colloquial, and regionally limited (partly Southern Germany/Austria).
• The corresponding verb is "schubsen" or "stoßen" (to push/shove). Using "Schuppen" as a noun here is less common than "Stoß" (push, bump) or "Schubser" (shove, nudge).

Distinction from "die Schuppe(n)":

• This is the most frequent source of error! Remember: der Schuppen = shed/push; die Schuppe = scale (skin, fish, reptile), plural die Schuppen.
• "Er hat Schuppen" always means he has dandruff (from die Schuppe), not that he owns sheds!

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Schuppen"

For the article (der): Think of a typical user: Der Mann (the man) or der Gärtner (the gardener) puts his things in den Schuppen. Masculine person -> masculine word.

For the meaning (building): Imagine you have to shelter things up in a safe place – you do that in the Sh-up-pen.

For the meaning (push, rare): It sounds a bit like the English word "shoven". When someone gives you a Schuppen, you've been shoven.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Misleading Words

• die Schuppe: (Singular) Small, flat plate on the skin of fish, reptiles; also skin flake (dandruff).
• die Schuppen: (Plural of die Schuppe) Plural of the scales mentioned above.

😄 A little joke

Warum hat der Gärtner immer einen Besen im Schuppen?

Damit er regelmäßig ausmisten kann, wenn die Gartenzwerge wieder eine Party gefeiert haben! 😉

Translation: Why does the gardener always keep a broom in the shed? So he can regularly clean out the mess after the garden gnomes have had another party! 😉

📜 Poem about the Shed

Im Garten, alt und etwas krumm,
steht der Schuppen, still und stumm.
Voll Werkzeug, Staub und Spinnengewebe,
damit der Gärtner Ordnung pflege.
Ein Ort für Rasenmäher, Spaten,
versteckt vor neugierigen Piraten.

Translation:
In the garden, old and slightly crooked,
stands the shed, silent and muted.
Full of tools, dust, and spiderwebs,
so the gardener maintains order.
A place for lawnmowers, spades,
hidden from curious pirates.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin kein Haus, doch hab ein Dach,
bewahre auf so allerlei Sach'.
Mal steh' ich krumm, mal bin ich neu,
für Werkzeug biete ich Verleih (von Platz). Was bin ich? ___ _______

Translation:
I'm not a house, but have a roof,
I store all sorts of stuff.
Sometimes I stand crooked, sometimes I'm new,
for tools, I offer lending (of space). What am I?
___ ____

Solution: der Schuppen (the shed)

💡 Other Information

Etymology (Word Origin):

The word "Schuppen" (building) comes from Middle High German "schupfe" or "schopf", which originally could mean a simple extension, a porch, or even a tuft of hair (Haarschopf). The connection likely lies in the idea of "sheltering" or "protecting" under a roof or cover.

Regional Variations:

The meaning "push" for "der Schuppen" is, as mentioned, not common everywhere. In some regions, there might also be slightly different names for the building itself.