die  Ansteckungsgefahr

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈanˌʃtɛkʊŋsɡəˌfaːɐ̯/

🦠 What does "die Ansteckungsgefahr" mean?

Die Ansteckungsgefahr translates to the risk of infection or risk of contagion. It describes the possibility or danger of contracting a disease (especially an infectious one). It's the risk that a disease might be transmitted from one person, animal, or environment to another person.

The word is a compound noun formed from Ansteckung (infection, contagion) and Gefahr (danger, risk).

Since Gefahr is feminine (die Gefahr), the compound noun die Ansteckungsgefahr is also always feminine. There are no other articles for this word. ⚠️ Be careful not to confuse it with die Ansteckung, which means the act of infecting or the infection itself.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Declension of Ansteckungsgefahr

"Ansteckungsgefahr" is a feminine noun. The article is always die.

Singular Declension

Plural Declension

The plural form "die Ansteckungsgefahren" (risks of infection) is used less frequently but is grammatically correct, for instance, when talking about different types of risks.

Example Sentences

1. Wegen der hohen Ansteckungsgefahr wurden die Schulen geschlossen.
   (Because of the high risk of infection, the schools were closed.)
2. Der Arzt wies auf die erhöhte Ansteckungsgefahr im Wartezimmer hin.
   (The doctor pointed out the increased risk of infection in the waiting room.)
3. Um die Ansteckungsgefahr zu minimieren, sollten alle eine Maske tragen.
   (To minimize the risk of infection, everyone should wear a mask.)
4. Wir unterschätzen oft die verschiedenen Ansteckungsgefahren im Alltag.
   (We often underestimate the various risks of infection in everyday life.)

🗣️ How is "Ansteckungsgefahr" used?

"Die Ansteckungsgefahr" is primarily used in contexts related to health, medicine, and public safety.

• Medical Context: Doctors and medical staff talk about the Ansteckungsgefahr associated with specific diseases or in certain environments (e.g., hospitals).
• Public Health: Authorities warn of Ansteckungsgefahr during epidemics or pandemics.
• Everyday Life: People mention the Ansteckungsgefahr when someone is sick and they want to avoid contact, or when explaining hygiene measures.

Typical Collocations:

• hohe/geringe Ansteckungsgefahr (high/low risk of infection)
• die Ansteckungsgefahr minimieren/reduzieren/verringern (to minimize/reduce/decrease the risk of infection)
• die Ansteckungsgefahr besteht (the risk of infection exists)
• vor Ansteckungsgefahr warnen (to warn of the risk of infection)

It's a somewhat formal word but is widely understood in general language, especially during times of heightened health concerns.

💡 How to remember "die Ansteckungsgefahr"

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar but different words:

• Die Ansteckung: Refers to the process of getting infected or the resulting infection itself, not just the risk.
• Die Gefahr: A general term for risk or danger, not specifically related to diseases.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum tragen Skelette keine Masken trotz Ansteckungsgefahr?

Weil sie kein Immunsystem haben, aber auch keine Lungen zum Anstecken! 😉

(Why don't skeletons wear masks despite the risk of infection?)

(Because they don't have an immune system, but they also don't have lungs to get infected!) 😉

📜 Poem about the Risk of Infection

Ein Niesen hier, ein Husten dort, (A sneeze here, a cough there,)
die Viren reisen fort und fort. (the viruses travel on and on.)
Man sieht sie nicht, doch weiß man klar, (You don't see them, but know clearly,)
besteht die Ansteckungsgefahr. (there is the risk of infection.)

Drum wasch die Händ', halt Abstand fein, (So wash your hands, keep distance well,)
so bleibst du sicher und auch rein. (thus you stay safe and also clean.)
Die Vorsicht ist ein guter Rat, (Caution is good advice,)
bevor die Krankheit Früchte naht. (before the illness bears fruit.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin unsichtbar, doch allbekannt,
(I am invisible, yet well-known,)
reise durch die Luft, von Hand zu Hand.
(travel through the air, from hand to hand.)
Man fürchtet mich, wenn jemand kränkelt sehr,
(People fear me when someone is very ill,)
ich bin das Risiko, komm sag, wer?
(I am the risk, come tell me, who?)

Solution: die Ansteckungsgefahr (the risk of infection)

🧩 Further Insights into Ansteckungsgefahr

Word Composition:

The word "Ansteckungsgefahr" is a typical German compound noun:

• Ansteckung: The first part, derived from the verb "anstecken" (to infect). Refers to the process of infection.
• -s-: A linking 's' (Fugen-s), often used between parts of compound words.
• Gefahr: The second part, meaning danger or risk. The gender of the last part determines the gender of the whole word (die Gefahr -> die Ansteckungsgefahr).

Cultural Context:

Awareness of Ansteckungsgefahren (risks of infection) has grown historically in Germany, as in many countries, particularly through experiences with epidemics like the plague in the Middle Ages or the Spanish Flu. More recently, events like the COVID-19 pandemic brought the word and its meaning sharply back into focus, shaping public discourse on hygiene measures and prevention.