die
Abreise
🛫 What exactly is 'die Abreise'?
Die Abreise means departure. It refers to the act or time of leaving a place, especially at the end of a stay, journey, or visit. It's the opposite of die Ankunft (arrival) or die Anreise (journey to a place).
Imagine you've been on holiday and are packing your bags – the moment you leave the hotel or apartment to go home or to your next destination is die Abreise.
There's only this one article (die) and this main meaning for Abreise. ⚠️ Don't confuse it with Ausreise, which often means leaving a country (especially crossing a border).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
📊 Grammar Check: 'die Abreise'
Die Abreise is a feminine noun. Here is its declension:
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Abreise |
| Genitive | der | Abreise |
| Dative | der | Abreise |
| Accusative | die | Abreise |
Plural
The plural form is die Abreisen.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Abreisen |
| Genitive | der | Abreisen |
| Dative | den | Abreisen |
| Accusative | die | Abreisen |
💡 Example Sentences
- Die Abreise ist für morgen früh geplant.
(The departure is planned for tomorrow morning.) - Wir müssen uns auf die Abreise vorbereiten.
(We need to prepare for the departure.) - Der Tag der Abreise rückte immer näher.
(The day of departure was getting closer and closer.) - Nach mehreren Abreisen von Gästen wurde es im Hotel ruhiger.
(After several departures of guests, it became quieter in the hotel.)
When and how to use 'Abreise'? 💼
Die Abreise is primarily used in the context of travel, moving, or leaving a place after a stay.
- Travel Context: You talk about the Abreise from the hotel, airport, train station, or holiday destination.
- Point in Time: It often refers to a specific time (e.g., Abreise um 10 Uhr - departure at 10 o'clock) or a period (e.g., während der Abreise - during the departure).
- Related Verb: The corresponding verb is abreisen (to depart, e.g., Wir reisen morgen ab - We depart tomorrow).
- Antonym: The direct opposite is die Anreise (arrival journey) or die Ankunft (arrival).
- Comparison: While die Abfahrt often refers specifically to vehicles (train, bus, ship), die Abreise is more general and refers to people leaving a place.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Abreise'
Remembering the Article
A Reise (journey) in German is feminine (die Reise). When you 'go off' (ab-) on the journey, it stays feminine: die Ab-reise. Also, nouns ending in -e are very often feminine in German.
Remembering the Meaning
Think of the prefix Ab- like 'away' or 'off'. A Reise is a 'journey' or 'travel'. So, Abreise is the 'away-journey' – the departure.
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Abfahrt: (Departure) Often more specific to means of transport (train, bus).
- Aufbruch: (Departure, setting off) Emphasizes the start of leaving, often more emotional.
- Start: (Start) Very general, can also mean the start of a journey or flight.
- Weggang: (Departure, leaving) A general term for leaving a place.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning)
- Anreise: (Arrival journey) The process of arriving at a destination.
- Ankunft: (Arrival) The moment or event of arriving.
- Aufenthalt: (Stay) The time spent at a place (between arrival and departure).
- Rückkehr: (Return) Coming back to the starting point.
😄 A Little Travel Joke
Fragt der Hotelgast an der Rezeption: "Sagen Sie mal, wann ist denn die beste Zeit für die Abreise?"
Antwortet der Rezeptionist: "Idealerweise nachdem Sie bezahlt haben!"
(The hotel guest asks at the reception: "Tell me, when is the best time for departure?"
The receptionist replies: "Ideally, *after* you've paid!")
📜 Poem about Departure
Der Koffer steht bereit, die Tür fällt zu,
ein letzter Blick zurück, wohin nun, du?
Die Abreise naht, ein leises Wort,
führt dich vom Hier zum fernen Ort.
Ein Ende, ja, doch Neubeginn zugleich,
macht Abschied manchmal bittersüß und reich.
(The suitcase is ready, the door closes shut,
A final glance behind, where to now, what?
The departure nears, a quiet word,
Leads you from here to a distant world.
An end, yes, but a new start just the same,
Makes farewell sometimes bittersweet and rich in aim.)
❓ Little Riddle
Ich bin das Ende deines Bleibens hier,
der Start zur Fahrt, das Schließen einer Tür.
Man plant mich oft, mal froh, mal schwer,
das Gegenteil vom Ankommen bin ich sehr.
Was bin ich?
(I am the end of your staying here,
The start of the journey, the closing of a door, dear.
Often planned, sometimes happy, sometimes with tear,
The opposite of arriving, that much is clear.
What am I?)
(... Die Abreise / The Departure)
✨ Other Information
The word Abreise is composed of:
- ab-: A prefix indicating separation, removal, or the start of an action (like in abfahren - to depart by vehicle, abgeben - to hand over).
- Reise: The base word meaning 'journey' or 'travel'.
So, literally, it means something like an 'away-journey' or 'off-journey'.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Abreise?
The German word for departure is die Abreise. It is a feminine noun and refers to the act of leaving a place, especially after a stay. The plural is die Abreisen.