der  Strauch

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʃtʁaʊ̯x/

🌳 What exactly is a 'Strauch'?

Der Strauch (plural: die Sträucher) refers to a woody plant that branches directly above the ground or shortly thereafter and doesn't have a distinct trunk like a tree (Baum). Shrubs are typically smaller than trees and have several main stems.

Basically, it's a bushy plant often found in gardens (Gärten), parks, or in nature (in der freien Natur). Examples include rose bushes (Rosensträucher), elderberry bushes (Holundersträucher), or forsythias (Forsythien).

🚨 There are no traps or exceptions with this word; it only uses the article der and has one clear meaning.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of 'der Strauch' in Detail

The noun der Strauch is masculine. Here are the declension tables:

📝 Example Sentences

• Der Strauch im Garten blüht wunderschön. (The shrub in the garden is blooming beautifully.)
• Die Blätter des Strauches sind im Herbst bunt gefärbt. (The leaves of the shrub are colorfully dyed in autumn.)
• Vögel bauen gerne Nester in dichten Sträuchern. (Birds like to build nests in dense shrubs.)
• Wir müssen den alten Strauch zurückschneiden. (We need to prune the old shrub.)

🌿 How to Use 'Strauch'?

The term Strauch is mainly used in the context of botany, gardening, and landscape description.

• In the garden (Im Garten): People talk about ornamental shrubs (Ziersträucher), berry bushes (Beerensträucher, e.g., Johannisbeerstrauch), or hedges made of shrubs (Hecken aus Sträuchern).
• In nature (In der Natur): It describes vegetation in forests (undergrowth - Unterholz), along paths, or in certain landscapes (e.g., bushland - Buschland).
• Differentiation from 'Baum' (tree): A key feature is the absence of a single, dominant trunk and the lower height compared to a Baum.
• Differentiation from 'Busch' (bush): Busch is often used synonymously, but can sometimes imply a denser, perhaps more disordered collection of branches. Strauch often sounds a bit more specific or technical than Busch.

💡 Mnemonics to Remember

For the article 'der': Think of 'der gardener' who plants the shrub (Strauch). The '-er' ending and the 'r' sound might help link it to 'der'. Or remember that many plants ending in -ch are masculine (like der Teich, der Lauch), though this isn't a strict rule.

For the meaning: A Strauch often 'stretches' out sideways, not just upwards like a tree. Or, imagine a 'strong bush' - the 'str' sound connects to 'Strauch'.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms of Strauch

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Strauch keine Geheimnisse?

(Why doesn't the shrub have any secrets?)

Weil er immer alles ausplaudert – er ist ja so buschig!

(Because it always spills the beans – it's so bushy! - Note: 'buschig' sounds a bit like 'busybody' in this context, and it literally means bushy/dense.)

📜 A Poem about the Strauch

Ein Strauch am Wegesrand so grün,
lässt bunte Beeren bald erblühn.
Er hat kein Stamm, stolz und allein,
doch Zweige lädt er Vögel ein.
Im Wind er rauscht, ein leises Lied,
ein Stück Natur, das man gern sieht.

(A shrub by the wayside so green,
soon lets colorful berries bloom.
It has no trunk, proud and alone,
but its branches invite birds home.
In the wind it rustles, a soft song,
a piece of nature, where it belongs.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich hab' kein' Stamm, doch Äste fein,
bin kleiner als ein Baum, doch nie allein.
Im Garten steh' ich oft als Zier,
mal blüh' ich bunt, mal trag' ich's hier.
Mal bin ich dicht, mal licht und kahl.
Was bin ich wohl? Rat' ein Mal!

(I have no trunk, but branches fine,
smaller than a tree, but never alone in line.
In the garden, I often stand as decoration,
sometimes I bloom colorfully, sometimes I bear fruit in this location.
Sometimes I'm dense, sometimes sparse and bare.
What am I then? Guess if you dare!)

Lösung / Answer: Der Strauch (The shrub)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung): The word 'Strauch' is a base word. However, it can be part of compound nouns, such as:

• Beerenstrauch: A shrub that bears berries (e.g., Johannisbeerstrauch - currant bush).
• Dornenstrauch: A thorny shrub.
• Zierstrauch: An ornamental shrub planted for decoration.

Historically: The word 'Strauchdieb' used to refer to a highwayman or robber who hid in the bushes (i.e., among Sträuchern). The term is now obsolete.