der
Zitronensaft
🍋 What does Zitronensaft mean?
Der Zitronensaft means lemon juice, the juice pressed from lemons (die Zitrone). It's known for its sour taste and its various uses.
It is a masculine noun (Maskulinum), so the correct article is der.
⚠️ There are no other articles for this word. It's always der Zitronensaft.
📊 Grammar of 'der Zitronensaft' in Detail
The word "Zitronensaft" is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Zitronensaft |
| Genitive | des | Zitronensaftes / Zitronensafts |
| Dative | dem | Zitronensaft(e) |
| Accusative | den | Zitronensaft |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Zitronensäfte |
| Genitive | der | Zitronensäfte |
| Dative | den | Zitronensäften |
| Accusative | die | Zitronensäfte |
Example Sentences
- Ein Spritzer des Zitronensaftes verfeinert den Salat.
(A splash of the lemon juice refines the salad.) - Ich trinke gerne Wasser mit Zitronensaft.
(I like drinking water with lemon juice.) - Man braucht den Zitronensaft für das Rezept.
(One needs the lemon juice for the recipe.) - Die verschiedenen Zitronensäfte im Supermarkt haben unterschiedliche Qualität.
(The different lemon juices in the supermarket have varying quality.)
💡 Everyday Usage
Der Zitronensaft is used very versatilely:
- In the kitchen: For seasoning dishes (Fisch, Salatdressings), for baking (Zitronenkuchen - lemon cake), for making drinks (Limonade, cocktails).
- In the household: As a natural cleaning agent (against limescale), for odour removal.
- For health: Often used in home remedies for colds (hot water with lemon and honey).
The term is very specific and clearly refers to the juice of the lemon. It's rarely used metaphorically.
🧠 Mnemonics
Article Mnemonic: Der Saft (the juice) is masculine, just like many drinks ending in -saft (Apfelsaft, Orangensaft). Think of Der strong, sour Saft.
Meaning Mnemonic: It's composed of Zitrone (lemon) + Saft (juice). Easy to remember: Zitronen-saft is lemon juice.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Zitronenextrakt (lemon extract - can be more concentrated)
- Limettensaft (lime juice - similar, but from limes)
Similar but Different Words
- Die Zitrone: The fruit itself (the lemon).
- Das Zitronat: Candied lemon peel (a baking ingredient).
😄 A Little Joke
Warum ging die Zitrone zur Schule?
Sie wollte lernen, sich besser zu konzentrieren!
(Why did the lemon go to school?
It wanted to learn to concentrate better! - Play on words: 'konzentrieren' means 'to concentrate', and 'Konzentrat' means 'concentrate' as in juice concentrate.)
📜 Poem about the Juice
Gelb die Frucht, so prall und rund,
Der Zitronensaft, gesund!
Sauer spritzt er, frisch und klar,
Im Wasser, Tee, ganz wunderbar.
Ein Tropfen hier, ein Spritzer dort,
Vertreibt den faden Geschmack sofort.
(Yellow the fruit, so plump and round,
The lemon juice, healthy found!
Sourly it squirts, fresh and clear,
In water, tea, wonderfully dear.
A drop here, a splash right there,
Drives away the dull taste, I swear.)
❓ Riddle Time
Ich komme aus einer gelben Kugel,
bin sauer, doch beliebt als Zugabe zur Kugel (Eis) oder im Krug voll Wasser.
Man presst mich aus mit Kraft und Mut.
Wie heißt das flüssige Gut?
(I come from a yellow sphere,
I'm sour, but popular as an addition to a scoop (of ice cream) or in a jug full of water.
I'm squeezed out with strength and might.
What is this liquid called, alright?)
Solution: Der Zitronensaft (Lemon juice)
🧩 More Details on Zitronensaft
Word Composition
The word "Zitronensaft" is a compound noun (Kompositum), made up of:
Since the base word "Saft" is masculine (der Saft), the compound word "Zitronensaft" is also masculine.
Trivia
Due to its high acidity (citric acid), Zitronensaft is often used to prevent cut fruits (like apples or bananas) from turning brown.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Zitronensaft?
The word "Zitronensaft" is a masculine noun. The correct article is always der. There is only this one form: der Zitronensaft.