die  Ablage

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈapˌlaːɡə/

❓ What does "die Ablage" mean?

Die Ablage (feminine noun) generally refers to a place or device where something can be put down, stored, or temporarily kept. The specific meaning often depends on the context:

• In the office: A system or place for organizing and storing documents (e.g., a file folder, a compartment in a desk, an inbox/outbox tray). The act of filing itself is also called die Ablage.
• At home or generally: A surface or compartment for placing items (e.g., a parcel shelf (Hutablage) in a car, a shelf in the bathroom, a shelf board).
• Computing: The clipboard (in German: die Zwischenablage), a temporary storage area for copied or cut data.
• Process: The act of putting away or filing documents or objects.

🚨 The word is always feminine: die Ablage.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Ablage"

"Ablage" is a feminine noun. It is declined as follows:

📝 Grammatical Examples

1. Der Brief liegt in der Ablage. (The letter is in the tray/file. - Dative Singular)
2. Ich muss noch die Ablage machen. (I still have to do the filing. - Accusative Singular, referring to the act)
3. Wo sind die Ablagen für die neuen Projekte? (Where are the files/storage locations for the new projects? - Nominative Plural)
4. Der Inhalt der Ablagen ist vertraulich. (The content of the files is confidential. - Genitive Plural)

💡 Everyday Usage: When to use "die Ablage"?

"Die Ablage" is a very common word, especially in office and organizational contexts, but also in general language use.

• In the office:
  • "Legen Sie das bitte in die Ablage P." (Please put this in tray/file P.)
  • "Die elektronische Ablage der Dokumente ist Pflicht." (The electronic filing of documents is mandatory.)
  • "Ich kümmere mich später um die Ablage." (I'll take care of the filing later. - Referring to the process)
• General:
  • "Kannst du meine Jacke auf die Hutablage legen?" (Can you put my jacket on the parcel shelf? - In a car)
  • "Diese kleine Ablage im Bad ist sehr praktisch." (This small shelf in the bathroom is very practical.)
• Computer:
  • "Der Text ist jetzt in der Zwischenablage." (The text is now in the clipboard.)

Context is key: Whether a physical location, a digital storage location, or the act of filing is meant usually becomes clear from the context.

Comparison: While das Regal often means a larger structure with multiple shelves, die Ablage can also be a single board, a compartment, or even just a designated area. Der Ordner specifically refers to a binder or folder for documents.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Ablage"

1. Article Mnemonic (die): Many German nouns ending in "-e", especially those derived from verbs and describing an action or place (like ablegen - to put down), are feminine (die). Think: "She (feminine -> die) likes order and uses die Ablage." Or remember common feminine words ending in -e like die Lampe, die Tasche, die Straße.
2. Meaning Mnemonic: The word comes directly from the verb "ablegen" (to put down, to file away). Imagine you are putting something *away* or *down* (ab-) onto a designated spot - that spot is die Ablage.

Think of it as the place where things are 'laid off' (ab-ge-legt) temporarily or permanently: die Ablage.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "die Ablage"

⚠️ Confusion Alert!

Colloquially, "Ablage" might just mean a simple pile of papers. Depending on the context, more precise words like Ordner (folder/binder), Regal (shelf/rack), or Zwischenablage (clipboard) might be more appropriate.

😂 A little joke

DE: Warum hat der Computer so eine ordentliche Ablage?
Weil er regelmäßig die Zwischenablage leert! 😉

EN: Why does the computer have such a tidy filing system (Ablage)?
Because it regularly empties the clipboard (Zwischenablage)! 😉

📜 A poem about the Ablage

DE:
Das Chaos wächst, der Tisch ist voll,
wohin damit? Es ist nicht toll.
Doch Rettung naht, ganz ohne Frage,
in Form der nützlichen Ablage.

Papier und Kram, hier findet's Platz,
ein Griff, ein Ort, ein letzter Satz:
"Hier ist es sicher, Tag für Tage!"
Ein Hoch auf die Büro-Ablage!

EN:
The chaos grows, the desk is packed,
Where should things go? It's order lacked.
But rescue nears, no need to query,
In form of the useful Ablage, cheery.

Papers and stuff, find their space here,
One grab, one place, a final cheer:
"It's safe right here, day after day!"
Hooray for the office Ablage!

🧩 Riddle

DE:
Ich habe Fächer, Körbe, manchmal nur 'nen Platz,
Dokumente warten hier auf ihren nächsten Satz.
Ob digital als Speicher oder real als Brett,
ich sorge für Ordnung, find' ich nett.

Was bin ich?
... Die Ablage

EN:
I have compartments, baskets, sometimes just a spot,
Documents wait here for their next plot.
Whether digital storage or a real board flat,
I create order, I think that's neat.

What am I?
... Die Ablage (filing place/tray/shelf/storage)

✨ More Information

Word Composition:

"Ablage" is a noun derived from the verb "ablegen" (to put down, file, take off clothes, pass an exam). It consists of the prefix "ab-" (away, down) and the stem of "legen" (to lay, put). The ending "-e" signals the nominalization (turning it into a noun), often associated with a feminine gender in German.

Related Words:

• ablegen: (verb) to put down, file, take (an exam), take off (clothing)
• der Ableger: (noun, masculine) offshoot (of a plant); subsidiary, branch office
• die Ablehnung: (noun, feminine) rejection, refusal