der
Wohnort
📍 What exactly is a Wohnort?
Der Wohnort (masculine) means the place of residence. It refers to the location where a person has their permanent or main residence and is usually officially registered (gemeldet). So, it's the address where one is legally reachable. Sometimes it's also used more generally for the town or village where someone lives.
🚨 Attention: Unlike "Zuhause" (home), which expresses more of an emotional connection, "Wohnort" is often more formal and refers to the geographical and administrative place of living.
🧐 Grammar: Declension of 'der Wohnort'
The noun "Wohnort" is masculine. Here are the declension tables:
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Wohnort |
| Genitive | des | Wohnortes / Wohnorts |
| Dative | dem | Wohnort / Wohnorte |
| Accusative | den | Wohnort |
Note: In the genitive singular, both forms (-es and -s) are possible. In the dative singular, the form "Wohnorte" is dated but occasionally encountered.
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Wohnorte |
| Genitive | der | Wohnorte |
| Dative | den | Wohnorten |
| Accusative | die | Wohnorte |
📝 Example Sentences
- Bitte geben Sie Ihren vollständigen Namen und Wohnort an. (Please state your full name and place of residence.)
- Mein offizieller Wohnort ist Berlin, aber ich arbeite oft in Hamburg. (My official place of residence is Berlin, but I often work in Hamburg.)
- Er hat im Laufe seines Lebens viele verschiedene Wohnorte gehabt. (He has had many different places of residence throughout his life.)
- Die Polizei suchte den Verdächtigen an seinem letzten bekannten Wohnort. (The police looked for the suspect at his last known place of residence.)
💡 How to use 'Wohnort'?
The term Wohnort is frequently used in official contexts:
- 📄 In forms and documents (e.g., registration/Anmeldung, tax declaration/Steuererklärung, passport application/Passantrag)
- 🏢 In connection with authorities and administration (Behörden und Verwaltung)
- ⚖️ In legal matters (e.g., place of jurisdiction/Gerichtsstand)
In everyday life, you might simply ask "Wo wohnst du?" (Where do you live?) instead of "Was ist dein Wohnort?". "Wohnort" sounds a bit more formal.
Difference to "Zuhause" (Home):
- Wohnort: The geographical location, the address, often official. (Wo ist dein Wohnort? - Berlin. / Where is your place of residence? - Berlin.)
- Zuhause: The place where one feels at home, often emotionally charged. (Ich fahre jetzt nach Hause. / I'm going home now.)
So, you can have a Wohnort that doesn't feel like Zuhause, or feel at Zuhause in multiple places but only have one official Wohnort.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Remembering the article 'der':
Imagine: Der Mann (the man) registers his Wohnort at the office (Amt). Think of Ort (place) which is also often 'der Ort'.
Remembering the meaning:
It's simply where you wohnen (live) + the Ort (place) = Wohnort, your place of residence.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Wohnsitz: Very similar, often used interchangeably, also rather formal/legal.
- Domizil: More sophisticated term for residence.
- Adresse: Specifically refers to street, house number, town, etc., whereas Wohnort can also just be the town/municipality.
- Aufenthaltsort: Place where one is currently staying (can be temporary).
Antonyms/Opposites (Opposite Meaning):
- Geburtsort: Place of birth.
- Arbeitsort/Arbeitsplatz: Place of work.
- Heimat: Place of origin, often emotional (can be, but isn't necessarily, the Wohnort).
- Zweitwohnsitz: Second residence used in addition to the main residence (Hauptwohnsitz).
⚠️ Similar but potentially misleading words:
😄 A Little Joke
Official: "Ihr Wohnort?" (Your place of residence?)
Man: "Neben meinem Nachbarn." (Next to my neighbor.)
Official: "Und wo wohnt Ihr Nachbar?" (And where does your neighbor live?)
Man: "Neben mir!" (Next to me!)
📜 A Little Poem about the Wohnort
Wo die Post mich finden kann, (Where the mail can find me,)
Wo mein Name steht fortan, (Where my name stands from now on,)
Auf dem Schild, ganz offenbar, (On the sign, quite clearly,)
Ist mein Wohnort, hell und klar. (Is my place of residence, bright and clear.)
Mal ist's Stadt, mal ist's ein Flecken, (Sometimes it's a city, sometimes a spot,)
Wo ich meine Siebensachen packe aus den Ecken. (Where I unpack my belongings from the corners.)
🧩 Riddle Time
Ich bin kein Gefühl, doch wichtig für dein Sein,
(I am not a feeling, yet important for your being,)
Steh' im Pass und im Meldeschein.
(I'm in the passport and the registration form.)
Ich sag' dem Amt, wo du zu finden bist,
(I tell the office where you can be found,)
Ob in der Großstadt oder wo's ländlich ist.
(Whether in the big city or where it's rural.)
Was bin ich? (What am I?)
Solution: Der Wohnort (The place of residence)
ℹ️ Trivia & Details
Word Composition:
The word "Wohnort" is a compound noun, made up of:
- wohnen: to live, reside
- der Ort: place, location, town
Legal Relevance:
In Germany, there is a Meldepflicht (mandatory registration). This means you must register your Wohnort with the relevant registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) when you move. The main residence (Hauptwohnsitz - often synonymous with Wohnort) has legal implications, e.g., for taxes, voting, or social benefits.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Wohnort?
The noun Wohnort is masculine, so its article is der (genitive: des Wohnortes/Wohnorts, plural: die Wohnorte). It means 'place of residence', referring to the location where a person primarily lives and is typically officially registered.