die  Ananas

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈʔananaːs/

🍍 What does "die Ananas" mean?

Die Ananas (noun, feminine) refers to the well-known, large tropical fruit with a rough, scaly rind, a tuff of leaves on top, and sweet-sour yellow flesh. In English, this is a pineapple.

It's the fruit of the pineapple plant (Ananas comosus). The German word Ananas is almost exclusively used for the fruit.

Since it only takes the article die, its gender is clearly feminine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📜 Grammar of "die Ananas" in Detail

The noun Ananas is feminine. Here are the declension tables:

Note: The plural form Ananasse is less common; usually, Ananas is also used for the plural. However, the dative plural often becomes Ananassen even when the base plural form Ananas is used.

Example Sentences

• Die Ananas schmeckt sehr süß. (The pineapple tastes very sweet.)
• Der Saft der Ananas ist erfrischend. (The juice of the pineapple is refreshing.)
• Ich gebe der Ananas noch etwas Zucker hinzu. (I add a little more sugar to the pineapple.)
• Wir essen heute eine Ananas. (We are eating a pineapple today.)
• Im Supermarkt gab es viele reife Ananas (or Ananasse). (There were many ripe pineapples in the supermarket.)
• Wir trinken Saft aus frischen Ananas (or Ananassen). (We drink juice from fresh pineapples.)

💡 How to use "die Ananas"?

• Cooking & Eating: Most commonly used in the context of food. "Ich schneide die Ananas für den Obstsalat." (I'm cutting the pineapple for the fruit salad.)
• In Recipes: Cookbooks or recipes often mention quantities like "eine halbe Ananas" (half a pineapple) or ingredients like "Ananassaft" (pineapple juice).
• Botanical Context: Less frequent, but possible, is mentioning the pineapple plant itself (die Ananaspflanze).
• Symbolically: Sometimes, the pineapple symbolizes exoticism, tropics, or hospitality (historically).

Confusion is unlikely as the word is very specific.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Ananas"

Mnemonic for the Article (die):

Think of a famous diva (die Diva) demanding a tropical fruit – she wants die Ananas! The diva -> die Ananas.

Mnemonic for the Meaning (Pineapple):

It sounds a bit like "Anna has" in English. What does Anna have? Anna has a pineapple! Ananas -> Pineapple.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms of "Ananas"

Similar, but different words:

• Banane: Another tropical fruit (banana), but sounds completely different.
• Annanas: Incorrect spelling! It's spelled "Ananas". ⚠️

😂 A little Joke

German: Warum hat die Ananas aufgehört, mit den anderen Früchten zu reden?

Weil sie eine stachelige Persönlichkeit hatte! 😉

English: Why did the pineapple stop talking to the other fruits?

Because it had a prickly personality! 😉

🎵 Poem about the Ananas

German:
Die Ananas, so stolz und fein,
Mit Schuppenkleid und Sonnenschein.
Ihr süßer Saft, ein Tropentraum,
Verziert den Tisch, den jeden Raum.
Von fern gereist, exotisch schön,
Lässt sie uns Gaumenfreuden sehn.

English Translation:
The pineapple, so proud and fine,
With scaly dress and bright sunshine.
Its sweet juice, a tropical dream,
Adorns the table, every scene.
Travelled far, exotic, fair,
Lets us taste joys beyond compare.

🤔 Little Riddle

German:
Ich trage eine Krone, doch bin kein König.
Meine Haut ist rau, mein Inneres honigsüß.
Ich wachse in den Tropen, sonnig und schönig.
Welche Frucht bin ich, zum süßen Genuss?

Lösung: Die Ananas

English Translation:
I wear a crown, but am no king.
My skin is rough, my inside honey-sweet.
I grow in the tropics, sunny and pretty.
Which fruit am I, for a sweet treat?

Answer: The Pineapple (Die Ananas)

💡 Other Info about Ananas

• Origin: The pineapple (die Ananas) originally comes from South America, likely from the region of modern-day Paraguay and southern Brazil.
• Word Origin: The word "Ananas" comes from the Guaraní language (an indigenous language of South America) and means something like "excellent fruit" or "delicious fruit".
• Botany: The pineapple is not a single fruit but a multiple fruit (Fruchtverband), formed from the coalescence of many individual berries.
• Symbolism: In Europe, the pineapple was long a symbol of wealth, exoticism, and hospitality because it was difficult to obtain and expensive.