die
Acht
🤔 What does "die Acht" mean?
The noun die Acht (feminine) has two main meanings in German, which are quite distinct:
- Ostracism, Ban, Outlawry: An (often historical or legal) declaration that someone is outlawed or excluded from a community. This is a rather rare, formal meaning. A synonym is die Ächtung.
- Care, Caution, Attention: This meaning almost exclusively appears in fixed idioms, most notably "sich in Acht nehmen" (to be careful, watch out) and "etwas außer Acht lassen" (to disregard something, ignore).
🚨 Important Distinction: Do not confuse die Acht (noun) with the numeral acht (8)! The numeral is written in lowercase and has no grammatical gender.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Numbers, calculations → almost always feminine.
Caution: When verbs are turned into nouns, the result is 'das Addieren', 'das Subtrahieren', 'das Multiplizieren', 'das Dividieren'.
-acht → almost always feminine.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Acht
Die Acht is a feminine noun. It is primarily used in the singular, especially in fixed idioms. The plural (die Achten) is very rare and usually refers to the historical meaning of outlawry/banishment.
Declension
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Acht | eine Acht |
| Genitive | der Acht | einer Acht |
| Dative | der Acht | einer Acht |
| Accusative | die Acht | eine Acht |
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Achten | - Achten |
| Genitive | der Achten | - Achten |
| Dative | den Achten | - Achten |
| Accusative | die Achten | - Achten |
📝 Example Sentences
- Outlawry: Im Mittelalter war die Acht eine schwere Strafe. (In the Middle Ages, the ban/outlawry was a severe punishment.)
- Caution (Idioms):
- Nimm dich vor dem Hund in Acht! (Watch out for the dog! / Be careful of the dog!)
- Man sollte seine Worte sorgfältig wählen und sich vor Missverständnissen in Acht nehmen. (One should choose one's words carefully and beware of misunderstandings.)
- Wir dürfen die Details nicht außer Acht lassen. (We must not disregard the details.)
- Bitte gib gut Acht auf deine kleine Schwester! (Please take good care of / watch over your little sister!) (Here as part of "Acht geben" = to pay attention, watch over)
🗣️ How to use "die Acht"?
The usage of die Acht strongly depends on the meaning:
- Ostracism/Ban/Outlawry: This meaning is rare today and mostly confined to historical, literary, or legal contexts. For instance, one might speak of the Reichsacht (Imperial Ban) in the Holy Roman Empire.
- Care/Caution/Attention: This meaning primarily survives in fixed idioms:
- Sich in Acht nehmen (vor + Dative): The most common idiom. Means "to be careful", "to watch out", "to beware of". Example: Nimm dich vor Taschendieben in Acht! (Watch out for pickpockets!)
- Etwas außer Acht lassen: Means "to ignore something", "to disregard something", "to leave something out of account". Example: Er hat bei seiner Planung wichtige Aspekte außer Acht gelassen. (He disregarded important aspects in his planning.)
- Acht geben (auf + Accusative) / (also: achtgeben): Means "to pay attention to", "to watch over", "to take care of". Example: Kannst du kurz auf mein Gepäck Acht geben? (Can you watch my luggage for a moment?)
⚠️ Outside of these idioms, the word "Acht" for caution is rarely used. Instead, words like Vorsicht (caution), Aufmerksamkeit (attention), or Beachtung (attention, consideration) are used.
💡 Mnemonics for "die Acht"
Article Mnemonic: Think of "die Wacht" (the watch/guard). A guard (die Wacht) must pay attention (Acht geben). Since Wacht is feminine (die), Acht (in the sense of caution) is also feminine (die).
Meaning Mnemonic (Caution): If you don't pay achttention (sounds like Acht), you might fall flat on your face! Think: "I must pay attention! -> Achtung! -> die Acht".
Meaning Mnemonic (Ostracism): Someone declared "in die Acht" was banished from society – die door was shut for them.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- For Ostracism/Ban: die Ächtung (ban, proscription), der Bann (ban), die Verbannung (exile, banishment), die Exkommunikation (excommunication), die Ausgrenzung (exclusion, marginalization), die Vogelfreiheit (outlawry, hist.)
- For Caution/Attention (in idioms): die Vorsicht (caution), die Aufmerksamkeit (attention), die Behutsamkeit (carefulness), die Sorgfalt (diligence, care), die Obacht (heed, attention - dated)
Antonyms
- For Ostracism/Ban: die Anerkennung (recognition, acceptance), die Akzeptanz (acceptance), die Begnadigung (pardon), die Aufnahme (admission, acceptance)
- For Caution/Attention: die Unachtsamkeit (inattention, carelessness), die Nachlässigkeit (negligence), die Sorglosigkeit (carelessness), die Ignoranz (ignorance - in the sense of disregarding)
⚠️ Similar but Different Words
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt der Lehrer: "Wer kann mir eine Redewendung mit 'Acht' nennen?"
Meldet sich Fritzchen: "Meine Mutter sagt immer zum Postboten: 'Geben Sie gut Acht auf das Paket!'"
Teacher asks: "Who can give me an idiom with 'Acht'?"
Little Fritz raises his hand: "My mother always tells the mailman: 'Geben Sie gut Acht auf das Paket!' (Take good care of the package!)"
✍️ Poem about Acht
Gib Acht, mein Kind, im Lebenstrubel,
lass Vorsicht walten, meide Fubel.
Nimm dich in Acht vor falschen Worten,
an fremden, unbekannten Orten.
Die Acht, einst Bann für schwere Taten,
mahnt heute uns zu klugen Daten:
Was wichtig ist, lass nicht beiseite,
damit das Glück dich stets begleite.
Translation:
Pay heed, my child, in life's commotion,
Let caution rule, avoid bad motion.
Beware of words both false and sly,
In foreign places, passing by.
Die Acht, once ban for heavy deeds,
Reminds us now of prudent needs:
What matters most, don't cast aside,
So happiness may be your guide.
🧩 Little Riddle
Ich habe keinen Körper, doch man kann mich geben.
Man nimmt sich vor mir in _____, um sicher zu leben.
Man kann mich auch lassen, dann wird's oft vergessen.
Historisch war ich ein Bann, von allen verlassen.
Wer bin ich? (Lösung: die Acht)
Translation:
I have no body, but I can be given.
You take _____ of me, for safely living.
You can also leave me, then things are often missed.
Historically I was a ban, by all dismissed.
What am I?
(Answer: die Acht - specifically the 'care/caution' aspect in the second line, and 'ban' in the last)
🧐 More about "Acht"
Etymology: The word Acht in the sense of attention or regard is related to the verb achten (to pay attention to, respect). The meaning "ban/outlawry" also stems from this root, originally meaning "to legally pursue," later evolving to "exclude from the community." So, there's a common root, even though the meanings have diverged significantly.
Reichsacht (Imperial Ban): In the Holy Roman Empire, the Reichsacht was a form of ban imposed by the King/Emperor or the Imperial Chamber Court (Reichskammergericht). A person under the Imperial Ban lost all rights and property and could be killed by anyone without punishment (Vogelfreiheit - literally 'bird-freedom', meaning outlawry).
Summary: is it der, die or das Acht?
The German noun Acht, referring to outlawry/banishment or to care/caution (in idioms like 'sich in Acht nehmen'), is always feminine. The correct article is die Acht.