die  Ankündigung

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈankʏndɪɡʊŋ/

📣 What does "die Ankündigung" mean?

Die Ankündigung (noun, feminine) refers to a public or official notification about something upcoming or something that should be brought to attention. It's the act of making information known, often in advance.

• Official notification: A formal announcement by an authority, company, or organization (e.g., die Ankündigung einer neuen Regelung - the announcement of a new regulation).
• Public notice: Information directed at a broader public (e.g., die Ankündigung einer Veranstaltung - the announcement of an event).
• Indication of the future: Often, an Ankündigung relates to an upcoming event, product, or change (e.g., die Ankündigung einer Hochzeit - the announcement of a wedding, einer Produkteinführung - a product launch).

⚠️ It's important not to confuse die Ankündigung (the announcement) with die Kündigung (the termination/resignation), although they sound similar.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar Deep Dive: Die Ankündigung

The word "Ankündigung" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always "die". It follows regular declension patterns.

📜 Usage Examples

1. Die Ankündigung des Konzerts erfolgte per E-Mail.
   (The announcement of the concert was made via email.)
2. Wegen der offiziellen Ankündigung warten wir noch.
   (We are still waiting because of the official announcement.)
3. Wir hörten der Ankündigung aufmerksam zu.
   (We listened carefully to the announcement.)
4. Er las die Ankündigung in der Zeitung.
   (He read the announcement in the newspaper.)
5. Die Ankündigungen für das neue Semester hängen am schwarzen Brett.
   (The announcements for the new semester are on the notice board.)
6. Der Inhalt der Ankündigungen war überraschend.
   (The content of the announcements was surprising.)
7. Wir müssen uns nach den neuen Ankündigungen richten.
   (We have to comply with the new announcements.)
8. Bitte beachtet die heutigen Ankündigungen.
   (Please note today's announcements.)

💡 Context and Usage

"Die Ankündigung" is used in various contexts, whenever something is being announced:

• At work: Ankündigung of a promotion, a meeting, new policies.
• Public/Political: Ankündigung of elections, legislative changes, press conferences.
• Private: Ankündigung of an engagement, pregnancy, party.
• Media/Marketing: Ankündigung of new products, movies, events.

Differentiation from similar words:

• Mitteilung (notification, message): Often more personal or less formal than an Ankündigung. Can also refer to past events.
• Bekanntmachung (public notice, announcement): Very similar, often used synonymously, sometimes with a stronger focus on public accessibility.
• Verlautbarung (official statement, pronouncement): Rather formal, often from an official body (government, authority).

The choice of word often depends on the level of formality and the context. However, "Ankündigung" is a very common and versatile term.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic

Remember: Nouns ending in "-ung" in German are almost always feminine. Like die Rechnung (the bill), die Meinung (the opinion), die Hoffnung (the hope) – and also die Ankündigung. The "-ung" ending signals 'die'! 🎀

Meaning Mnemonic

Imagine someone making a grand announcement ('Ankündigung'). The 'an-' prefix suggests bringing something forward, and 'kündigen' relates to 'making known' (from 'Kunde' - news, knowledge). So, an 'Ankündigung' brings the news forward or makes something known. Think of it as 'announcing the kunde (news)'. 📣

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

🚨 Careful: Risk of Confusion!

• Kündigung: (Termination, resignation) Ending a contract (job, lease). Sounds similar but means something completely different!

😄 A Little Joke

Warum machen Geister so schlechte Ankündigungen?

Weil man direkt durch sie hindurchsieht! 👻

(Why do ghosts make such bad announcements? Because you can see right through them!)

✒️ Poetically Speaking

Ein Flattern geht durch Raum und Zeit,
Eine Nachricht steht bereit.
Mal laut, mal leise, mal per Mail,
Die Ankündigung hat ihr Ziel.
Was kommen wird, wird kundgetan,
So fängt die Zukunft manchmal an.

(A flutter goes through space and time,
A message is ready, sublime.
Sometimes loud, sometimes low, by email sent,
The announcement serves its intent.
What is to come is made known near,
Thus sometimes the future starts here.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich komme oft, bevor etwas geschieht,
Bin mal gedruckt, mal laut im Lied.
Ich sage dir, was bald wird sein,
Mal groß, mal klein, mal fein.

Was bin ich?

(I often come before something happens,
Sometimes printed, sometimes sung in loud refrains.
I tell you what will soon be here,
Sometimes big, sometimes small, sometimes clear.

What am I?)

Solution: Die Ankündigung (The announcement)

🧐 Other Details

Word Composition:

The word "Ankündigung" is a derived noun. It consists of:

• The prefix "an-" (indicates a direction or bringing towards)
• The verb "kündigen" (in the sense of 'to make known', 'to inform')
• The suffix "-ung" (used to form feminine nouns from verbs, often denoting a process or its result)

So: The process or result of 'ankündigen' (announcing).