der
Streifen
What does "der Streifen" mean? 🤔
The word der Streifen is a masculine noun with several meanings:
- 🦓 A long, narrow section or area: This can refer to a pattern (e.g., on clothing, like Streifen on a shirt), a piece of material (Papierstreifen - paper strip, Stoffstreifen - fabric strip), or an area (Landstreifen - strip of land, Küstenstreifen - coastal strip). In English: strip or stripe.
- 🎬 A movie (colloquial): Often, the word "Streifen" is used informally as a synonym for a movie shown in cinemas or on TV. In English: movie, film, flick.
- 👮 A patrol (especially police): When the police are "auf Streife", it means they are patrolling a specific area. It's often used in the phrase "auf Streife gehen/sein" (to go/be on patrol) or as the short form "die Streife" (feminine!). However, a single patrol round can sometimes be referred to as "der Streifen". Attention: The patrol unit or the act of patrolling is usually called "die Streife". Using "der Streifen" for a single patrol round is less common than the other meanings.
Despite the different meanings, the article is always der.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-en → mostly masculine.
1. All diminutives with '-chen' are neutral, like 'das Mädchen'. 2. Nouns derived from verbs are always neutral ('das Schrieben'). 3. There are many -en words, we won't list them all.
Grammar of "der Streifen" 📐
"Streifen" is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Streifen |
| Genitive | des | Streifens |
| Dative | dem | Streifen |
| Accusative | den | Streifen |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Streifen |
| Genitive | der | Streifen |
| Dative | den | Streifen |
| Accusative | die | Streifen |
Example Sentences
- (Narrow section/stripe) Der bunte Streifen am Horizont war ein Regenbogen.
(The colorful stripe on the horizon was a rainbow.) - (Narrow section/strip) Schneide bitte einen Streifen Papier ab.
(Please cut off a strip of paper.) - (Movie) Hast du den neuen Action-Streifen schon gesehen?
(Have you seen the new action movie yet?) - (Movie) Der alte Schwarz-Weiß-Streifen läuft heute im Spätprogramm.
(The old black-and-white film is on the late-night program today.) - (Patrol - less common than "die Streife") Nach dem nächtlichen Streifen durch das Viertel kehrten die Polizisten zurück.
(After the nightly patrol through the neighborhood, the police officers returned.)
How to use "der Streifen"? 💡
Usage heavily depends on the context:
- Patterns & Materials: When talking about clothing, design, or materials, "der Streifen" refers to lines or narrow bands. E.g., "Das Hemd hat blaue Streifen" (The shirt has blue stripes), "ein Streifen Tesa" (a strip of tape).
- Movies: In informal conversations about cinema or TV, "Streifen" is a common term for a film. E.g., "ein spannender Streifen" (an exciting movie), "ein alter Hollywood-Streifen" (an old Hollywood flick).
- Police/Patrol: Here, the phrase "auf Streife sein/gehen" (to be/go on patrol - using "die Streife") is much more frequent. "Der Streifen" for a single patrol round is less common but possible.
Distinction from similar words:
- Linie (line): A Linie is often thinner and more abstract than a Streifen.
- Band (band, ribbon, tape): A Band can be wider and often implies a function (e.g., Förderband - conveyor belt, Tonband - tape reel), while "der Streifen" is more descriptive. However, there's overlap (e.g., "Stoffstreifen" vs. "Stoffband").
Memory Aids for "der Streifen" 🧠
Article Mnemonic: Think of things associated with the meanings that are often masculine in concept: DER Polizist (the policeman) goes on patrol (Streifen), DER Regisseur (the director) makes a movie (Streifen), DER Stoffrest (the fabric remnant) can be a strip (Streifen). All point to DER Streifen.
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you strip off a long Streifen of paper, draw a line on it like a film Streifen (movie), and then show it to the police who are striding on patrol (auf Streife). One word, many images!
Similar and Opposite Words 🔄
Synonyms
Antonyms
- (Opposite of narrow section): die Fläche (area, surface), der Bereich (area, zone), das Ganze (the whole), der Punkt (dot, point)
- (Opposite of movie - conceptually): die Realität (reality), das Theaterstück (play - as a different art form)
Watch out for confusion
A Little Joke 😄
DE: Warum tragen Zebras Streifen?
... Weil sie nicht aus den Punkten rauskommen wollen! 😉
EN: Why do zebras wear stripes?
... Because they don't want to get spotted! (Pun playing on 'spots' vs 'stripes' and 'being spotted/seen'. The German joke plays on 'Punkte' meaning 'dots'/'spots' and 'aus etwas nicht rauskommen' meaning 'can't get out of something/can't stop doing something').
Poem about Streifen 📜
DE:
Ein Streifen Licht am Morgen graut,
Ein bunter Streifen, laut,
Auf Stoff gemalt, als Zierde fein,
Ein Film, ein Streifen, lädt uns ein.
Auch Wacht im Dunkeln, Schritt für Schritt,
Geht leis die Streife mit.
Ein Wort für viel, mal breit, mal schmal,
Der Streifen ist's, auf jeden Fall.
EN:
A strip of light at morning's grey,
A colorful stripe, brightens the day,
On fabric painted, decoration fine,
A movie, a flick, invites us to dine (on stories).
A watch in the dark, step by step so neat,
The patrol goes quietly down the street.
One word for many, wide or small,
Der Streifen it is, standing tall.
Little Riddle 🕵️♂️
DE:
Ich kann auf deinem Hemd sein, bunt und klar,
Oder ein Film, gesehen Jahr für Jahr.
Manchmal bin ich lang und schmal,
Manchmal ein Polizist im nächtlichen Tal (als Teil seiner Runde).
Was bin ich?
EN:
I can be on your shirt, colorful and clear,
Or a movie, watched year after year.
Sometimes I am long and narrow,
Sometimes a policeman in the night's shadow (as part of his patrol round).
What am I?
(Solution: der Streifen / the strip/stripe/movie/patrol)
Trivia & Origin 🤓
Word Formation (DE: Wortbildung): Das Nomen "Streifen" is a nominalization of the verb "streifen", which originally meant "to stroke", "to touch", "to roam" (Middle High German "streifen"). The meaning "narrow strip of land" or "elongated piece" developed from this.
Trivia: The term "Streifen" for a movie became common colloquially (umgangssprachlich), possibly derived from the material film strip (Zelluloidstreifen) on which films used to be stored.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Streifen?
The noun "Streifen" is always masculine, regardless of whether it refers to a material strip/stripe, a movie, or (less commonly) a patrol round. Therefore, the correct article is always der Streifen.