der  Start

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʃtaʁt/

🚀 What does "der Start" mean?

Der Start (masculine) generally means the start or beginning of something. It can refer to various contexts:

• 🏁 The beginning of a race or competition (e.g., der Startschuss - the starting shot).
• ✈️ The take-off of an airplane or rocket.
• 🚦 The starting point or initial phase of a process, project, or journey.
• 💻 Booting up a computer system (often as Neustart - restart).

It's a very common word borrowed from English but firmly established in German.

🧐 Grammar of "der Start" in Detail

"Start" is a masculine noun. The article is der.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der Start des Marathons ist um 9 Uhr. (The start of the marathon is at 9 o'clock.)
2. Wir wünschen Ihnen einen guten Start ins Wochenende! (We wish you a good start to the weekend!)
3. Nach dem Start des Flugzeugs gab es Turbulenzen. (After the plane's take-off, there was turbulence.)
4. Der Start des neuen Projekts verlief reibungslos. (The start of the new project went smoothly.)
5. Der Computer benötigt einen Neustart. (The computer needs a restart.)

🗣️ How to use "Start"?

"Der Start" is frequently used to describe the beginning of an activity, event, or period.

• In sports: "Der Startschuss fiel pünktlich." (The starting shot was fired on time. Here often synonymous with "Beginn" - beginning)
• In technology/aviation: "Der Start der Rakete war erfolgreich." (The rocket launch was successful.)
• Figuratively: "Er hatte einen schwierigen Start ins Berufsleben." (He had a difficult start to his professional life.)
• In computing: "Der Start des Programms dauert einige Sekunden." (The program start takes a few seconds.)

It often feels more direct and dynamic than "Anfang" (beginning) or "Beginn" (commencement). While "Anfang" tends to refer more to the point in time or the first part, "Start" often emphasizes the act of setting off or taking off.

Note: The verb is "starten". Example: "Das Rennen startet um 10 Uhr." (The race starts at 10 o'clock.)

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Start"

Article Mnemonic: Think of der race car driver (masculine) at der starting line. Der Start belongs to him.

Meaning Mnemonic: The word sounds almost exactly like the English word "start". Imagine you energetically start something – that's der Start!

↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms

😄 A Little Joke

Lehrer: "Wer kann mir einen Satz mit 'Start' bilden?"
Fritzchen: "Am Wochenende hat mein Vater versucht, das Auto zu starten. Nach dem zehnten Versuch war der Start wohl eher ein Stand."

Translation:

Teacher: "Who can make a sentence with 'Start'?"
Little Fritz: "Over the weekend, my father tried to start the car. After the tenth attempt, the start was probably more of a stand-still."

📜 Poem about the Start

Der Start ist da, die Zeit beginnt,
ein neuer Weg, der uns gewinnt.
Ob Lauf, ob Flug, ob Lebenslauf,
der Start nimmt seinen ersten Lauf.

Mit Mut und Kraft geht es voran,
was immer auch geschehen kann.
Ein frischer Wind, ein heller Schein,
so soll der Start ins Neue sein.

Translation:

The start is here, the time begins,
a new path that captures us within.
Be it run, or flight, or course of life,
the start takes its first stride.

With courage and strength, we move ahead,
whatever may happen instead.
A fresh breeze, a bright gleam,
so shall the start into the new beam.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin der Punkt, wo alles losgeht,
bevor die Reise weiterweht.
Im Rennen bin ich der Beginn,
auch wenn ein Flugzeug steigt, bin ich mittendrin.

Was bin ich?

Translation:

I am the point where everything sets off,
before the journey further blows aloft.
In a race, I am the beginning you see,
even when a plane takes off, I'm in the spree.

What am I?

Solution: der Start

🧩 Other Information

Word Origin: "Der Start" is a loanword from English ("start") that has become established in German, particularly in sports and technical contexts.

Compounds: There are many compound words with "Start", such as:

• Startbahn (runway)
• Startschuss (starting shot)
• Startkapital (start-up capital)
• Startseite (homepage)
• Frühstart (false start)
• Neustart (restart)