der  Wassersport

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈvasɐˌʃpɔʁt/

🌊 What exactly is Wassersport?

Der Wassersport is a collective noun referring to all types of sports practiced on the water (e.g., Segeln - sailing, Rudern - rowing, Surfen - surfing) or in the water (e.g., Schwimmen - swimming, Tauchen - diving, Wasserball - water polo).

It is a masculine noun and always uses the article der.

It's a compound noun, formed from:

• Wasser (das Wasser - the water)
• Sport (der Sport - the sport)

Since Sport is masculine (der Sport), Wassersport is also masculine (der Wassersport). The gender of the last part of the compound determines the gender of the whole word. ✅

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Wassersport

The word "Wassersport" is a masculine noun. The article is der.

It is mostly used in the singular because it's a collective term. When talking about specific activities, you use their plural forms (e.g., die Schwimmstile - the swimming styles, die Segelregatten - the sailing regattas) or talk about Wassersportarten (types of water sports).

Declension (Singular)

Example Sentences

1. Im Sommer liebe ich den Wassersport am See. (In summer, I love water sports at the lake.)
2. Die Entwicklung des Wassersport(e)s hat in den letzten Jahren zugenommen. (The development of water sports has increased in recent years.)
3. Mit gutem Wassersport kann man sich fit halten. (You can keep fit with good water sports.)

🏄 How is Wassersport used?

"Der Wassersport" is an umbrella term used to talk about the entirety of sports activities in or on the water.

• On holiday: "Wir fahren ans Meer, weil wir Wassersport lieben." (We're going to the sea because we love water sports.)
• As a hobby: "Sein liebstes Hobby ist der Wassersport, besonders das Windsurfen." (His favorite hobby is water sports, especially windsurfing.)
• In a sports context: "Die Region bietet ideale Bedingungen für Wassersport." (The region offers ideal conditions for water sports.)

People rarely speak of "Wassersporten" in the plural. Instead, they list the specific Wassersportarten (e.g., "Schwimmen, Tauchen und Segeln sind beliebte Wassersportarten" - Swimming, diving, and sailing are popular types of water sports) or use the singular as a collective term.

⚠️ Don't confuse it with Wasserspiele (water games, often for children or fountains) or Wassersportgerät (water sports equipment).

💡 Mnemonics for Wassersport

Article Mnemonic: Remember der Sport (the sport). Since Sport is masculine, Wassersport is also masculine: der Wassersport. Think of a strong (masculine) sportsman on the water.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine doing Sport 💪 in the Wasser 💧 (water) – that's Wassersport!

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

⚠️ Be careful: Wasserski (water skiing) is a specific type of water sport, not a synonym for the general term.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Skelette nie am Wassersport teil?

Weil sie nicht genug Mumm in den Knochen haben, nass zu werden! 😄🦴

(Why do skeletons never take part in water sports? Because they don't have the guts [literally: 'marrow in the bones'] to get wet!)

📜 A Poem about Wassersport

Der Wassersport, so frisch und klar,
Auf Seen, Flüssen, wunderbar.
Ob Segel weh'n im Wind geschwind,
Ob Schwimmer schnell die Bahnen sind.
Surfen, Tauchen, Paddelboot,
Vertreibt die Sorgen, lindert Not.
Im blauen Nass, bei Sonnenschein,
So soll der Sommersporttag sein!

(Water sports, so fresh and clear,
On lakes, rivers, wonderful here.
Whether sails blow swiftly in the breeze,
Or swimmers quickly master the ease.
Surfing, diving, paddle boat,
Chases away worries, eases the throat.
In the blue wet, in sunshine bright,
So shall the summer sports day alight!)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich brauche Wellen oder eine Bahn,
Mal bin ich ruhig, mal fängt der Sturm an.
Man braucht ein Boot, ein Brett, oft nur den Mut,
Hauptsache nass, das tut dem Körper gut.
Ich bin ein Oberbegriff, männlich und schön,
Man kann mich im Sommer an Gewässern seh'n.

Was bin ich? (Solution: der Wassersport)

(I need waves or a lane,
Sometimes I'm calm, sometimes the storm starts again.
You need a boat, a board, often just the nerve,
The main thing is getting wet, good for the body's curve.
I'm a general term, masculine and grand,
You can see me by the water in summer across the land.

What am I?
Solution: der Wassersport / water sports)

🌐 Other Info about Wassersport

Word Composition:

Der Wassersport is a compound noun made up of two nouns:

• das Wasser: Refers to the water, the element in or on which the sport takes place.
• der Sport: Refers to the sport or physical activity.

As with many German compound nouns, the last word (Grundwort, here: Sport) determines the grammatical gender of the entire word. Therefore, it's der Wassersport.

Trivia:

Germany has a long tradition in Wassersport, especially rowing (Rudern) and sailing (Segeln), due to its numerous lakes, rivers, and coastlines on the North Sea (Nordsee) and Baltic Sea (Ostsee).