der  Strauß

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʃtʁaʊ̯s/

💐 What does "Strauß" mean? 🐦

The German word der Strauß primarily has two meanings:

1. The bouquet (of flowers): A collection of cut flowers, often arranged artfully and given as a gift or used as decoration (der Blumenstrauß). 💐 Example: "Er schenkte ihr einen bunten Strauß Rosen." (He gave her a colorful bouquet of roses.)
2. The ostrich: The largest living bird, native to Africa, known for its long legs and neck, and inability to fly (der Vogel Strauß). 🐦 Example: "In Afrika kann man den Vogel Strauß in freier Wildbahn sehen." (In Africa, you can see the ostrich in the wild.)

⚠️ Note: There is also an archaic or elevated meaning of der Strauß as 'fight', 'struggle', or 'quarrel' (e.g., "einen Strauß ausfechten" - to fight a battle/dispute), but this is rarely used in modern everyday German. Focus on the two main meanings.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Deep Dive: Declension of "der Strauß"

The noun Strauß is masculine, so its article is der. The declension (how the word changes in different grammatical cases) is mostly straightforward, but the plural form differs slightly depending on the meaning.

Declension (Singular)

Declension (Plural)

The plural forms depend on whether you mean 'bouquets' or 'ostriches':

Note the Umlaut (äu) for bouquets!

🚨 Important: While 'Strauße' is the standard plural for ostriches, you might sometimes encounter 'Straußen' used for Nominative, Genitive, and Accusative plural as well, though this is generally considered colloquial or dated. The Duden dictionary recommends 'Strauße'. For bouquets, the plural is always 'Sträuße' (with the Umlaut).

Example Sentences

• Bouquet: "Ich habe einen wunderschönen Strauß zum Geburtstag bekommen."
  (I received a beautiful bouquet for my birthday.) - Accusative Singular
• Bouquet: "Die vielen bunten Sträuße auf dem Markt dufteten herrlich."
  (The many colorful bouquets at the market smelled wonderful.) - Nominative Plural
• Ostrich: "Der Strauß kann sehr schnell rennen."
  (The ostrich can run very fast.) - Nominative Singular
• Ostrich: "Die Eier des Straußes sind riesig."
  (The ostrich's eggs are huge.) - Genitive Singular
• Ostrich: "Wir beobachteten die Strauße auf der Farm."
  (We watched the ostriches on the farm.) - Accusative Plural

💡 Using "der Strauß" Correctly

The context usually makes it clear which 'Strauß' is meant:

• Blumenstrauß 💐 (Bouquet): Used when talking about tied flowers. Common verbs: binden (to tie), schenken (to give), bekommen (to receive), kaufen (to buy), überreichen (to hand over). Often found in compound words like Rosenstrauß (rose bouquet), Geburtstagsstrauß (birthday bouquet), Brautstrauß (bridal bouquet).
• Vogel Strauß 🐦 (Ostrich): Used when discussing the bird. Often appears in contexts like zoos, Africa, savannas, farms. Common verbs: rennen (to run), leben (to live), sehen (to see), beobachten (to watch). Sometimes referred to as "Vogel Strauß" for clarity, especially when introducing the topic, or if the context isn't immediately obvious (e.g., in a text about African animals).
• Kampf/Streit (Fight/Quarrel - rare): Almost exclusively in fixed expressions like "einen Strauß ausfechten" (to fight a battle/dispute) or in historical texts.

In everyday German, the 'bouquet' and 'ostrich' meanings are by far the most common. Pay attention to the surrounding words to understand which one is intended.

🧠 Memory Aids for "der Strauß"

• Article Mnemonic (der): Think of the big male ostrich – he's strong and masculine, so it's der Strauß. Also, a beautiful bouquet (der Strauß) is often given by a man (der Mann).

• Meaning Mnemonic (Flower vs. Bird): Imagine a Strauß (bouquet) has many colorful 'feathers' (petals) 💐, just like the bird Strauß (ostrich) has feathers 🐦. One 'stands' in water (a vase), the other often stands on sand (the desert). Both can be quite striking!

🔄 Synonyms, Antonyms & Similar Words

⚠️ Similarly Sounding Words (Potential Confusion)

• Strauss (without ß): Last name of famous composers (Johann Strauss Father & Son, Richard Strauss). Pronounced the same, but spelled differently and unrelated to flowers or birds. Context is key here!

😂 A Little Joke

German: Warum legt ein Strauß keine Eier in Deutschland?
Weil er Angst hat, dass sie ihm beim Frühstück geklaut werden!

English Translation: Why doesn't an ostrich lay eggs in Germany?
Because it's afraid they'll be stolen ('ge-klaut') during breakfast! (A pun on 'geklaut' - stolen and 'Klauen' - claws, though not directly related to the ostrich itself, it's a typical German joke structure).

✍️ Poem about "der Strauß"

German:
Der Strauß, ein Wort, zwei Bilder klar,
Als Blumengruß, als Vogel wunderbar.
Der eine bunt, in Vasen rein, 💐
Der andre rennt im Sonnenschein. 🐦
Mit Federn, Beinen lang und groß,
Lebt er in Afrika, famos.
Die Blumen schenken Farbenglanz,
Vergiss den Artikel nicht: der Strauß, stets 'der', mein Freund, bei jedem Tanz.

English Translation:
Der Strauß, a word, two images clear,
As floral gift, as wondrous bird held dear.
One colorful, in vases neat, 💐
The other runs on sunny street. 🐦
With feathers, legs both long and grand,
It lives in Africa's great land.
The flowers give a splash of hue,
Don't forget the article: der Strauß, always 'der', my friend, for you.

🤔 A Little Riddle

German:
Ich kann als Geschenk gebunden sein,
Oder rennen schnell auf langem Bein.
Man sagt, ich steck' den Kopf in Sandes Weiten,
Mein Artikel ist 'der' zu allen Zeiten.
Was bin ich?

English Translation:
I can be tied up as a gift so bright,
Or run very fast on legs with might.
They say I stick my head in sandy ground,
My article is 'der', wherever I'm found.
What am I?

Solution: Der Strauß (the bouquet / the ostrich)

Additional Insights

• Word Origin (Wortherkunft): The word "Strauß" for a bouquet comes from Middle High German "strūz," meaning something like "bushy protrusion." Interestingly, the bird's name might share a similar origin, possibly referring to its bushy plumage or its combative nature (linking to the old meaning of 'fight'). The exact connection is debated by etymologists.
• Johann Strauss: As mentioned, Strauss is also a famous surname, particularly of the Viennese waltz composers. This can sometimes lead to confusion or puns. "Hörst du gern Strauss?" (Do you like listening to Strauss?) could theoretically be misinterpreted without context.
• The Head in the Sand Myth (Kopf in den Sand stecken): The common idiom "to stick one's head in the sand" (den Kopf in den Sand stecken) is often associated with ostriches, but it's a myth that they do this to hide from danger. They might lower their heads to the ground to appear less conspicuous or to forage. The idiom means to ignore danger or an unpleasant reality.