der  Sonntagmorgen

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/deːɐ̯ ˈzɔntaːkˌmɔʁɡn̩/

☀️ What exactly is a Sonntagmorgen?

Der Sonntagmorgen means Sunday morning in English. It refers to the time span on Sunday forenoon, usually from the early morning hours until around noon. It's a compound noun formed from der Sonntag (Sunday) and der Morgen (the morning).

Since der Morgen is masculine, der Sonntagmorgen is also masculine. There is only this one meaning and its corresponding article der.

• Meaning: Sunday morning.
• Article: der (masculine)

🚨 There are no other articles or meanings for this word.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Der Sonntagmorgen in Detail

The word Sonntagmorgen is a masculine noun. It is typically used only in the singular. While a plural form (die Sonntagmorgen) is grammatically possible, it's uncommon and refers to several specific Sunday mornings.

Example Sentences

1. Der Sonntagmorgen ist meine liebste Zeit der Woche.
   (Sunday morning is my favorite time of the week.)
2. Wir genießen das Frühstück am Sonntagmorgen oft auf dem Balkon.
   (We often enjoy breakfast on the balcony on Sunday morning(s).)
3. Ich erinnere mich an viele schöne Sonntagmorgen meiner Kindheit.
   (I remember many beautiful Sunday mornings from my childhood.) (Here the rare plural is possible)
4. Des Sonntagmorgens Stille ist wohltuend.
   (The silence of the Sunday morning is soothing.) (Genitive, slightly formal)

💬 How to use Sonntagmorgen

Der Sonntagmorgen is used to refer specifically to the forenoon of Sunday. It's a very common time reference in German.

• Temporal Context: Used to place events or states within this specific timeframe ("Am Sonntagmorgen gehen wir in die Kirche." - On Sunday morning(s), we go to church.", "Der Sonntagmorgen war verregnet." - The Sunday morning was rainy."). The phrase am Sonntagmorgen means 'on Sunday morning'.
• Atmosphere: Often associated with peace, relaxation, family, late breakfast (Brunch), or church attendance.
• Distinction: Differs from der Sonntagvormittag (synonymous, but 'Sonntagmorgen' is more frequent), der Sonntag (the entire day), or der Morgen (morning in general).
• Adverbial Form: The form sonntagmorgens (lowercase) functions as an adverb meaning "every Sunday morning" or "on Sunday mornings" (e.g., "Sonntagmorgens schlafe ich gerne aus." - I like to sleep in on Sunday mornings.").

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article Mnemonic: Remember that both der Tag (the day, like Sonntag) and der Morgen (the morning) are masculine (der). Therefore, der Sonntagmorgen is also masculine.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the Sun rising in the morning on the day after Saturday – it's Sonntagsmorgen (Sunday morning)!

🔄 Similar and Opposing Words

Potential Confusion

• sonntags morgens / sonntagmorgens (adverb): Written in lowercase, this means "every Sunday morning" or "on Sunday mornings". Example: "Sonntagmorgens gehe ich joggen." (I go jogging on Sunday mornings.) vs. "Der Sonntagmorgen war schön." (The Sunday morning was nice.)

😄 A Little Joke

Warum schleichen die Leute sonntagmorgens durchs Haus?
(Why do people tiptoe through the house on Sunday mornings?)

Damit sie die schlafenden Siebenschläfer nicht wecken!
(So they don't wake the sleeping seven-sleepers! [A Siebenschläfer is a dormouse, but it sounds like 'seven sleepers'])

📜 A Poem for Sunday Morning

Der Wecker schweigt, die Welt hält an,
(The alarm clock's silent, the world stands still,)
ein sanftes Licht zieht seine Bahn.
(A gentle light makes its way.)
Der Kaffeeduft, so leis und fein,
(The scent of coffee, so soft and fine,)
das kann nur Sonntagmorgen sein.
(That can only be Sunday morning.)
Kein Stress, kein Lärm, nur Ruh und Zeit,
(No stress, no noise, just peace and time,)
für Träumerei und Seligkeit.
(For dreaming and bliss.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich komme nach der Samstagnacht,
(I come after Saturday night,)
hab Ruhe und Gemütlichkeit gebracht.
(Have brought peace and coziness.)
Der Tag beginnt ganz ohne Hast,
(The day begins without any rush,)
bevor der Montag wird zur Last.
(Before Monday becomes a burden.)

Was bin ich? / What am I?

Lösung / Answer: der Sonntagmorgen

💡 More about Sonntagmorgen

Word Composition

Sonntagmorgen is a compound noun (Kompositum) made up of:

• der Sonntag: Sunday, the seventh day of the week, often a day of rest.
• der Morgen: The morning, the beginning of the day, the forenoon.

In German compound nouns, the gender is determined by the last part of the word (the base word), which is 'der Morgen' here, making 'der Sonntagmorgen' masculine.

Cultural Significance

Sunday morning holds special significance in many cultures, often associated with religious practices (church service), family time, elaborate breakfast or brunch, and general relaxation before the start of the new week.