der  Skilift

B1

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/ˈskiːlɪft/

🚠 What exactly is a Skilift?

A Skilift (masculine noun) is a transport system in ski resorts that carries winter sports enthusiasts (skiers, snowboarders) up the mountain. There are different types, such as Schlepplifte (drag lifts/T-bars), Sessellifte (chairlifts), or Gondelbahnen (gondola lifts).

The term is composed of Ski (the sports equipment) and Lift (elevator/lift).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Der Skilift in Detail

The word "Skilift" is a masculine noun. The definite article is der.

Declension Tables

Example Sentences

1. Der Skilift bringt uns bequem auf den Gipfel.
   (The ski lift takes us comfortably to the summit.)
2. Die Wartezeit am Skilift war heute sehr kurz.
   (The waiting time at the ski lift was very short today.)
3. Wir kauften die Tickets für die Skilifte online.
   (We bought the tickets for the ski lifts online.)
4. Der Betrieb des Skiliftes wurde wegen starken Windes eingestellt.
   (The operation of the ski lift was suspended due to strong winds.)

⛷️ How to use 'der Skilift'

The term Skilift is primarily used in the context of winter sports and mountain regions. It refers to the technical installation for transporting people uphill.

• Typical Uses: In travel guides, on piste maps, in conversations about ski holidays, in technical descriptions of cable car systems.
• Context: Usually associated with skiing, snowboarding, mountains, snow, and tourism.
• Distinction: Although 'Seilbahn' (cable car/ropeway) is a generic term, 'Skilift' is often used more specifically for systems where you remain on your skis or snowboard (e.g., 'Schlepplift' - drag lift) or sit ('Sessellift' - chairlift), as opposed to gondola lifts ('Gondelbahnen'), where you often take off your equipment. However, in common parlance, the terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

🧠 Mnemonics

Article Mnemonic: Think of der Mann (the man) operating the lift, or der Skifahrer (the male skier) riding it up. 'Lift' itself is often masculine in German (der Aufzug, der Lift), which carries over to der Skilift.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine your Skis automatically getting a lift up the mountain – that's what the Skilift does!

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

😂 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Skifahrer seinen Skipass verloren?
(Why did the skier lose his ski pass?)

Weil er nicht gut auf Lif(t) und Ordnung geachtet hat!
(Because he didn't pay attention to 'Lif(t) und Ordnung'! - A pun on 'Recht und Ordnung' meaning 'law and order', replacing 'Recht' (law/right) with 'Lift'.)

📜 Poem about the Skilift

Der Stahlseil surrt, ein leises Lied,
Der Skilift zieht, nie wird er müd.
Hinauf zum Gipfel, sonnenklar,
Bringt Wintersportler, Paar um Paar.
Ob Sessel schwebt, ob Bügel zieht,
Er ist's, der uns die Höh' anbiet'.

Translation:
The steel cable hums, a soft song,
The ski lift pulls, it's never tired or wrong.
Up to the summit, bathed in sun,
Bringing winter athletes, one by one.
Whether chairlift sways or T-bar pulls with might,
It's what offers us the height.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich trage dich den Berg hinauf,
doch Beine hab ich nicht im Lauf.
An einem Seil zieh' ich dich sacht,
hab' vielen schon den Schnee gebracht.

Wer bin ich?

Translation:
I carry you up the mountain high,
But legs I don't have, though I fly.
On a cable, I gently pull you near,
Brought snow fun to many, year after year.

Who am I?
... Der Skilift (The Ski Lift)

⚙️ Interesting Facts

Word Composition: The word is a compound noun, formed from:

• der Ski (Plural: die Ski or die Skier): The equipment for skiing on snow.
• der Lift: Derived from the English word 'lift'.

Trivia: The world's first ski lift was built in 1908 in Schollach in the Black Forest, Germany. The first T-bar lift (Schlepplift) as we know it today was invented in 1934 in Davos, Switzerland, by Ernst Constam.