die  Androhung

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈandʁoːʊŋ/

❓ What does 'die Androhung' mean?

Die Androhung (feminine, plural: die Androhungen) means the announcement or indication of an unpleasant measure, an evil, or a punishment. It's often done with the intention to intimidate, warn, or coerce someone into a specific behavior.

It's a form of communication signaling a potential negative consequence if certain conditions aren't met. An Androhung can be explicit or implicit.

The article is always 'die', which is typical for nouns ending in -ung derived from verbs (in this case, androhen - to threaten).

Article rules for der, die, and das

📜 Grammar Corner: Declining 'die Androhung'

'Androhung' is a feminine noun, so it uses the article 'die'. Like most nouns ending in '-ung', it follows the standard declension pattern for feminine nouns in German.

Example Sentences 📝

1. Die Androhung von Konsequenzen zeigte Wirkung. (The threat of consequences had an effect.)
2. Er stand unter der Androhung einer Kündigung. (He was under the threat of dismissal/termination.)
3. Mit der Androhung weiterer Schritte versuchte man, ihn einzuschüchtern. (They tried to intimidate him with the threat of further steps.)
4. Die wiederholten Androhungen führten zu einer Anzeige. (The repeated threats led to a formal complaint/report to the police.)

🗣️ How to use 'Androhung'?

The term 'Androhung' is frequently used in contexts where pressure is applied or a warning is issued:

• Legal Context: Androhung von rechtlichen Schritten (threat of legal action), Klagen (lawsuits), Strafen (penalties).
• Professional Context: Androhung einer Kündigung (threat of termination), Abmahnung (written warning).
• Interpersonal Conflicts: Androhung von Gewalt (threat of violence), Verlassen (leaving), Enthüllungen (disclosures).
• Politics/Diplomacy: Androhung von Sanktionen (threat of sanctions), militärischen Maßnahmen (military actions).

Difference to similar words:

• Drohung: Often more direct and concrete than an Androhung. 'Androhung' can be seen as a preliminary stage or milder form of a Drohung.
• Warnung (Warning): Primarily serves to point out a danger, without necessarily implying the intent to cause the negative consequence oneself. An Androhung often implies that the speaker has the power to carry out what is threatened.
• Einschüchterung (Intimidation): Is the goal or effect of an Androhung.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'Androhung'

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ung are almost always feminine in German. Think: The endung makes it feminine -> die Androhung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the verb 'androhen' (to threaten). It sounds a bit like 'on drone' - imagine a menacing drone hovering over you, which is certainly a threat (Androhung)! Or connect 'droh' to the English 'dread'.

↔️ Antonyms & Synonyms

⚠️ Potentially Confusing Words:

• Ankündigung: A neutral announcement about something future, not necessarily negative.
• Aufforderung: A request or command to do something, without necessarily threatening a negative consequence.

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Luftballon Angst vor der Nadel?
Wegen der ständigen Androhung von Platzverweisen!

(Why is the balloon afraid of the needle?
Because of the constant threat of being expelled/popped! - It's a pun: 'Platzverweis' means 'expulsion' or 'ban from a place', but 'platzen' means 'to burst' or 'to pop'.)

📜 A Short Poem

Ein Wort, gesprochen leis' und kalt,
Die Androhung, sie nimmt Gestalt.
Ein Schatten legt sich auf das Herz,
Verursacht Sorge, Angst und Schmerz.
Doch manchmal ist sie nur ein Wind,
Der schnell verweht, geschwind, geschwind.

(A word, spoken soft and cold,
The threat, it starts to take its hold.
A shadow falls upon the heart,
Causing worry, fear, and smart.
But sometimes it is just a breeze,
That quickly vanishes with ease.)

🕵️‍♀️ A Little Riddle

Ich kündige Unheil an, doch tu es nicht direkt.
Ich flüstere von Strafe, die im Verborgenen steckt.
Man nutzt mich zur Warnung, zur Macht, zum Zwang.
Mein Artikel ist weiblich, mein Klang hat 'nen Drang.

(I announce misfortune, but not directly do I act.
I whisper of punishment, hidden in a pact.
I'm used for warning, for power, for force.
My article's feminine, my sound has a course [of pressure].)

What am I?
(Answer: die Androhung)

🧩 Other Details

Word Composition:

The word 'Androhung' is a noun derived from the verb 'androhen' (to threaten, menace). The ending '-ung' is used to form nouns from verbs, often describing the process or result of the action. These nouns are almost always feminine.

• an- (prefix, often linked to starting or direction)
• drohen (verb: to threaten)
• -ung (suffix for noun formation)