der
Spitz
🐶 What Exactly is "der Spitz"?
The German word der Spitz primarily has two meanings:
- 🐕 A dog breed: Refers to the German Spitz (Deutscher Spitz) or similar dog breeds characterized by their pointed muzzle and erect ears.
- 🥴 A slight intoxication / tipsiness: Mostly used in the fixed phrase "einen Spitz haben" meaning to be slightly drunk or tipsy.
⚠️ While "die Spitze" (feminine) often refers to a pointed end or peak, der Spitz (masculine) usually refers to the dog breed or the state of tipsiness.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-tz → almost always masculine.
🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Der Spitz
"Spitz" is a masculine noun and takes the article "der". It follows the strong declension pattern.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Spitz |
| Genitive | des | Spitzes |
| Dative | dem | Spitz |
| Accusative | den | Spitz |
📝 Example Sentences
- Der Spitz meiner Nachbarin bellt oft.
(My neighbor's Spitz often barks.) - Dog breed - Nach zwei Gläsern Wein hatte er schon einen leichten Spitz.
(After two glasses of wine, he was already slightly tipsy.) - Tipsiness (Accusative in the idiom) - Des Spitzes Fell ist meistens lang und dicht.
(The Spitz's fur is usually long and dense.) - Genitive, dog breed - Sie passen gut auf den Spitz auf.
(They take good care of the Spitz.) - Accusative, dog breed
💬 How to Use "der Spitz"?
The usage of "der Spitz" heavily depends on the context:
- As a dog breed: Used when talking about the animal itself, its characteristics, or keeping it as a pet. Example: "Der Spitz ist eine alte deutsche Hunderasse." (The Spitz is an old German dog breed.)
- As tipsiness: Almost exclusively used in the fixed idiom "einen Spitz haben". It describes a mild level of alcohol intoxication, more than just merry but not yet fully drunk. Example: "Pass auf, wie du fährst, du hast ja schon einen Spitz!" (Be careful how you drive, you're already tipsy!) You can also say "Er hat sich einen Spitz angetrunken." (He drank himself tipsy.)
Compared to "der Rausch" (drunkenness, intoxication) or "der Schwips" (slight buzz, being slightly tipsy), "der Spitz" falls somewhere in between.
💡 Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: Think of der Hund (the dog) or der Mann (the man) who 'hat einen Spitz'. Both are masculine!
Meaning Mnemonic: A Spitz (the dog) can be cheeky or feisty ('spitz' can also mean pointy/sharp), just like someone who 'hat einen Spitz' (is tipsy) might become a bit overly cheerful or bold.
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms
- For dog breed: Deutscher Spitz (more specific), Zwergspitz/Pomeranian (variant)
- For tipsiness ("einen Spitz haben"): einen Schwips haben (to have a buzz), beschwipst sein (to be tipsy), angetrunken sein (to be tipsy/slightly drunk), einen sitzen haben (colloquial: to be drunk/tipsy)
Antonyms
- For tipsiness: nüchtern sein (to be sober), klar im Kopf sein (to be clear-headed)
Potential for Confusion
- Die Spitze: Usually means the point/tip of something (Bleistiftspitze - pencil tip, Bergspitze - mountain peak) or a leading position. Feminine!
😂 A Little Joke
Warum hat der Mann nach der Party einen Spitz?
(Why was the man tipsy after the party?)
Weil er zu tief ins Glas geschaut hat und jetzt die Welt ein bisschen 'spitzer' aussieht! 😉
(Because he looked too deeply into the glass and now the world looks a bit more 'pointed'/'sharp'!)
✒️ Poem about the Spitz
Ein Spitz, so klein und doch so wach,
(A Spitz, so small and yet so alert,)
Mit Fell so dicht, ach, welche Pracht.
(With fur so thick, oh, what splendor.)
Er bellt und rennt im Garten froh,
(He barks and runs happily in the garden,)
Ein treuer Freund, sowieso!
(A loyal friend, anyway!)
Doch trinkt man Sekt, eins, zwei, drei Gläschen,
(But if you drink sparkling wine, one, two, three little glasses,)
Bekommt man schnell ein rotes Näschen,
(You quickly get a little red nose,)
Dann hat man auch, man glaubt es kaum,
(Then you also have, you hardly believe it,)
'nen kleinen Spitz im Oberstübchen-Traum.
(A little 'Spitz' [tipsiness] in your head-dream.)
❓ Little Riddle
Ich belle gern und hab spitzige Ohren,
(I like to bark and have pointy ears,)
Bin als treuer Begleiter auserkoren.
(I'm chosen as a loyal companion.)
Doch hab ich auch 'nen Bruder im Geist,
(But I also have a brother in spirit,)
Der nach zu viel Wein durch den Kopf dir kreist.
(Who circles through your head after too much wine.)
Wer bin ich, mit Artikel 'der'?
(Who am I, with the article 'der'?)
Na, komm schon, das ist nicht so schwer!
(Well, come on, it's not that hard!)
Solution: der Spitz
💡 Other Information
Word Origin: The name of the dog breed "Spitz" derives from the pointed (spitz) shape of its muzzle and ears. The meaning "slight intoxication" might be metaphorical – perhaps one's head feels 'pointy' or one becomes 'feisty' like a little Spitz dog when tipsy.
Cultural Note: The German Spitz (Deutscher Spitz) is a very old dog breed, depicted in images dating back to the Middle Ages.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Spitz?
The word "Spitz" is masculine. The correct form is der Spitz, used for both the dog breed and in the idiom "einen Spitz haben" meaning to be slightly tipsy.