der  Wahlabend

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈvaːlˌʔapnt/

🗳️ What Exactly is *der Wahlabend*?

Der Wahlabend refers to the evening of the day on which an election (*die Wahl*) took place. On this evening, the first projections (*Hochrechnungen*) and results (*Ergebnisse*) are published and intensively discussed and analyzed in the media (*Medien* - TV, radio, internet). It is often a very tense (*spannungsgeladen*) evening for politicians (*Politiker*), voters (*Wähler*), and journalists (*Journalisten*).

The word is a compound noun derived from:

• die Wahl (the election)
• der Abend (the evening)

Since the second part of the compound noun (der Abend) is masculine, der Wahlabend is also masculine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🔍 Grammar Deep Dive: *Der Wahlabend*

The noun 'Wahlabend' is masculine.

Note: The plural 'Wahlabende' is rarely used, as one usually speaks of a specific election night. However, it can be used to talk about multiple such evenings (e.g., in historical comparison).

Example Sentences

1. Der Wahlabend war sehr spannend. (The election night was very exciting.)
2. Wir verfolgten die Hochrechnungen am Wahlabend im Fernsehen. (We followed the projections on election night on TV.)
3. Die Analyse des Wahlabends dauerte bis tief in die Nacht. (The analysis of the election night lasted late into the night.)
4. Viele Sender bieten Sondersendungen zum Wahlabend an. (Many channels offer special broadcasts for the election night.)

💡 How to Use *der Wahlabend*

The term Wahlabend is primarily used in the context of political elections (*politische Wahlen*), such as federal (*Bundestagswahl*), state (*Landtagswahl*), local (*Kommunalwahl*), or presidential (*Präsidentschaftswahl*) elections.

• Media Coverage: A central term in news (*Nachrichten*), special broadcasts (*Sondersendungen*), and analyses (*Analysen*) on the evening of election day.
• Political Discussions: Politicians and experts often refer to projections (*Prognosen*) and results (*Ergebnisse*) of the *Wahlabend*.
• Everyday Language: Citizens also use the term when talking about following the election results ("Was machst du am Wahlabend?" - What are you doing on election night?).

It is a fixed term specifically describing the period after the polling stations close (*Schließung der Wahllokale*) and the first results are announced.

🧠 Memory Hooks

Article Mnemonic: Think of der Abend (the evening). Just like the regular evening is masculine, the election evening (*der Wahl*abend) is also masculine.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine how on the evening (*Abend*) after the election (*Wahl*), everyone nervously waits for the results – that's the Wahlabend.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

😄 A Little Joke

German: Warum sind Wahlabende wie Krimis im Fernsehen? Man weiß am Anfang nie genau, wer der Täter (äh... Sieger) ist, es gibt viele Verdächtige (Parteien), und die Spannung steigt bis zur letzten Minute!

English: Why are election nights like crime shows on TV? You never know at the beginning who the culprit (uh... winner) is, there are many suspects (parties), and the suspense builds until the very last minute!

📜 Poetry for Election Night

German:
Der Wahltag ist vorbei, die Urnen zu,
Nun blickt das Land gespannt im Nu.
Der Wahlabend bricht an, voll Zahl und Licht,
Wer hat gewonnen? Wer verliert Gewicht?
Prognosen flimmern, Grafiken bunt,
Die erste Hochrechnung tut sich kund.
Ein Abend lang wird analysiert,
Bis feststeht, wer das Land nun führt.

English Translation:
Election day is over, the ballot boxes closed,
Now the country watches, tensely composed.
The election night arrives, full of numbers and light,
Who has won? Who's losing might?
Projections flicker, graphics bright,
The first projection comes to sight.
An evening long, analysis profound,
Until it's clear who'll lead, on solid ground.

❓ What am I?

German:
Ich komme nach dem Kreuzchenmachen,
bring' Freude oft, doch auch das Lachen
kann manchem im Halse stecken bleiben,
wenn Zahlen ihn zur Opposition treiben.
Im Fernsehen bin ich groß zu sehen,
wenn Balken steigen oder untergehen.

Wer bin ich?

English:
I come after the crosses are made,
Often bringing joy, but laughter can fade
And get stuck in the throat for some,
When numbers drive them to opposition's drum.
On TV, I am prominently displayed,
As bars rise high or are decayed.

What am I?

Solution: Der Wahlabend (Election Night)

🧩 Word Origins and Trivia

Word Composition:

As mentioned, the term "Wahlabend" is composed of two nouns:

• die Wahl (noun, feminine): The act of voting or the selection between options.
• der Abend (noun, masculine): The time of day between afternoon and night.

The gender (*Genus*) of the compound word is determined by the last word (*Grundwort*), which is "der Abend" here, hence "der Wahlabend".

Trivia:

Wahlabende (election nights) are often major media events. Famous election nights, such as the US presidential election in 2000 or the German federal election (*Bundestagswahl*) in 1998, are remembered by many due to their drama or historical significance.