die
Aussaat
🌱 What does 'die Aussaat' mean?
Die Aussaat (noun, feminine) refers to two related things:
- The act of sowing: The process of putting seeds onto or into the ground, usually in agriculture or gardening. Example: Die Aussaat des Weizens beginnt im Frühling. (The sowing of the wheat begins in spring.)
- The seeds sown (seed batch): The collective term for the seeds that are intended to be sown or have been sown. Example: Die diesjährige Aussaat war von guter Qualität. (This year's sowing/seed batch was of good quality.)
It's a central term in the context of plant cultivation and seasons.
🔢 Grammar of 'die Aussaat' explained
The word "Aussaat" is a feminine noun. The article is die.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Aussaat |
| Genitive | der | Aussaat |
| Dative | der | Aussaat |
| Accusative | die | Aussaat |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Aussaaten |
| Genitive | der | Aussaaten |
| Dative | den | Aussaaten |
| Accusative | die | Aussaaten |
Grammar Examples:
- Der Zeitpunkt der Aussaat ist entscheidend. (The timing of the sowing is crucial. - Genitive Singular)
- Wir helfen bei der Aussaat. (We help with the sowing. - Dative Singular)
- Die Landwirte planen die Aussaat sorgfältig. (The farmers plan the sowing carefully. - Accusative Singular)
- Verschiedene Aussaaten wurden verglichen. (Different sowings/seedings were compared. - Nominative Plural)
💡 How to use 'die Aussaat'
The term die Aussaat is primarily used in the following contexts:
- Agriculture & Agronomy (Landwirtschaft & Agrarwissenschaft): Describing seasonal fieldwork, planning cultivation cycles.
- Horticulture & Hobby Gardening (Gartenbau & Hobbygärtnerei): When talking about planting vegetables, flowers, or herbs from seeds.
- Biology & Ecology (Biologie & Ökologie): In relation to the natural dispersal of plant seeds.
Common phrases include frühe Aussaat (early sowing) or späte Aussaat (late sowing), Direktaussaat (direct sowing, i.e., directly into the ground), or Vorkultur/Anzucht (starting seeds indoors before planting out).
Potential for confusion? Sometimes 'die Saat' is used synonymously, but 'Saat' can refer more specifically to the seed material (Saatgut), while 'Aussaat' often emphasizes the process more strongly.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Aussaat'
For the article 'die': Think of Mother Earth or Nature, both conceptually feminine in many cultures, into which you sow ('säen'). Earth provides fertility, often associated with 'die' (feminine) – hence die Aussaat.
For the meaning: 'Aussaat' sounds a bit like 'out-sowed' or 'out-seed'. You take the seed ('Saat') and put it 'out' ('aus') into the field.
↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms for Aussaat
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Das Säen: Emphasizes the pure act of sowing. (The sowing)
- Die Saat: Can mean both the process and the seed material (often narrower than Aussaat). (The seed/sowing)
- Die Ansaat: Very similar to Aussaat, often used in horticulture. (The seeding/sowing)
- Das Ausbringen: General term for distributing something (also fertilizer etc.). (The application/distribution)
😄 A little joke about Aussaat
DE: Warum nimmt der Gärtner bei der Aussaat immer einen Bleistift mit?
Damit er die Reihen ziehen kann!
EN: Why does the gardener always take a pencil with him when sowing (bei der Aussaat)?
So he can draw the lines/rows! (A pun: 'Reihen ziehen' means both 'to draw lines' and 'to make rows for planting') 😉
✍️ Poem about Aussaat
DE:
Kleine Körner, in der Hand,
Fallen sanft ins dunkle Land.
Die Aussaat, mit Bedacht,
Hat neues Leben nun entfacht.
EN:
Little grains, held in the hand,
Fall gently on the dark land.
The sowing (Die Aussaat), done with care,
Has now sparked new life there.
❓ Riddle time: What am I?
DE:
Ich bin ein Anfang, klein und fein,
Bring' Leben in den Acker rein.
Im Frühling werd' ich oft gemacht,
Hab' Hoffnung und Geduld gebracht.
Was bin ich?
EN:
I am a beginning, small and fine,
Bringing life to fields, a vital sign.
In springtime, I am often done,
Bringing hope and patience, everyone.
What am I?
Answer: Die Aussaat (The sowing)
🧩 Other Information
Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):
The word "Aussaat" is composed of:
- Prefix aus-: Indicates movement from inside to outside or distribution.
- Root word die Saat: Means seed or seed material.
Related Terms (Verwandte Begriffe): Saatgut (seed material), säen (to sow), Saatbett (seedbed), Saatzeit (sowing time).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Aussaat?
The word 'Aussaat' is feminine, so the correct article is 'die Aussaat'. It refers to the act of sowing or the seeds that are sown.