die  Ausstattung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaʊsˌʃtatʊŋ/

🛋️ What does "die Ausstattung" mean?

Die Ausstattung (feminine) refers to the entirety of items, features, or resources with which something is equipped or furnished. It can relate to physical objects or also to financial or personnel resources.

• Equipment/Furnishings: The furniture and appliances in an apartment, the technical devices in an office or lab. Example: Die Ausstattung der Küche ist sehr modern. (The kitchen's equipment is very modern.)
• Features/Specifications: The technical specifications or special characteristics of a product, e.g., a car or computer. Example: Das Auto hat eine luxuriöse Ausstattung. (The car has luxury features/trim.)
• Financial/Personnel Resources: The allocation of funds or staff for a specific purpose, e.g., for a project or department. Example: Die finanzielle Ausstattung des Forschungsprojekts ist gesichert. (The financial endowment/funding for the research project is secured.)

It is a noun derived from the verb ausstatten (to equip, to furnish).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Ausstattung"

The word "Ausstattung" is a feminine noun. The article is die.

Example Sentences

1. Die Ausstattung des Hotels ließ keine Wünsche offen. (The hotel's furnishings/amenities left nothing to be desired.)
2. Der Preis hängt von der Ausstattung des Fahrzeugs ab. (The price depends on the car's features/equipment level.)
3. Wir bewunderten die hochwertige Ausstattung der Wohnung. (We admired the high-quality furnishings/fittings of the apartment.)
4. Die verschiedenen Ausstattungen der Modelle wurden verglichen. (The different feature sets/trim levels of the models were compared.)

💡 How is "Ausstattung" used?

"Ausstattung" is a versatile word used in various contexts:

• Real Estate & Living: Describing the furnishings and features of houses or apartments (e.g., Küche mit Vollausstattung - kitchen with full equipment, gehobene Ausstattung - upscale furnishings/features).
• Technology & Vehicles: Listing the technical features, options, and accessories (e.g., Sonderausstattung - special/optional equipment, Basisausstattung - basic equipment/trim of a car, technische Ausstattung - technical specifications/equipment of a device).
• Business & Finance: Describing the financial or personnel resources available to a company, project, or department (e.g., Kapitalausstattung - capital endowment, personelle Ausstattung - staffing level).
• Theatre & Film: Refers to stage design, costumes, and props (often translated as design or appointments).

Distinction: While Ausrüstung often refers more specifically to tools or gear for a particular activity (e.g., Bergsteigerausrüstung - mountaineering equipment), Ausstattung is more general and can encompass furnishings, features, or resources.

🧠 Mnemonics for "Ausstattung"

Article Mnemonic

Remember: Ausstattung often represents a collection or set of things. Nouns ending in "-ung" in German are almost always feminine, hence die Ausstattung. Think of *'the setting'* - 'die' setting up -> die Ausstattung.

Meaning Mnemonic

Think of the verb *'ausstatten'* - to equip *'out'*. So, *die Ausstattung* is the result of 'equipping out' – all the things (equipment, features, furnishings) that have been added to make something complete. It's the 'state' (Stat-) of being equipped 'out' (Aus-).

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar Words

• Anstalt: (Institution, establishment) - An organization, not equipment.
• Bestattung: (Burial, funeral) - Completely different meaning.

😂 A Little Joke

German: Fragt der Autoverkäufer: "Und, wie gefällt Ihnen die Ausstattung des Wagens?" Kunde: "Sehr gut! Besonders das fünfte Rad im Kofferraum – falls mal vier platzen!"

English Translation: The car salesman asks: "So, how do you like the car's features (Ausstattung)?" Customer: "Very good! Especially the fifth wheel in the trunk – just in case four go flat!"

✍️ Poem about Ausstattung

German:
Die Wohnung neu, die Wände kahl,
doch mit Bedacht und kluger Wahl,
kommt Stück für Stück, ganz ohne Hast,
die Ausstattung, die zu uns passt.

Ein Tisch, ein Stuhl, ein weiches Bett,
Technik, die modern und nett.
So wird der Raum zum Heim geschwind,
wenn alles seinen Platz drin find'.

English Translation:
The flat is new, the walls are bare,
But chosen wisely, with great care,
Comes piece by piece, no need to rush,
The equipment that fits us thus.

A table, chair, a soft bed too,
Technology both nice and new.
The room becomes a home so fast,
When everything finds its place at last.

🧩 Riddle

German:
Ich bin, was man braucht, um zu leben, zu arbeiten, zu sein.
Mal bin ich karg, mal üppig und fein.
Im Auto, im Haus, im Büro bin ich da,
die Gesamtheit der Dinge, ist doch klar!

Was bin ich? Lösung: die Ausstattung

English Translation:
I am what you need to live, to work, to be.
Sometimes I'm sparse, sometimes fine and fancy.
In the car, the house, the office, I am there,
The sum of all things, it's clear, I declare!

What am I? Answer: die Ausstattung (the equipment/features/furnishings)

✨ Other Interesting Facts

Word Formation

The word Ausstattung is composed of:

• Prefix aus-: emphasizes completion or 'out'.
• Verb stem statt- (from statten, related to Stätte - place, site).
• Suffix -ung: forms a noun from the verb ausstatten (to equip) and makes it feminine.

Related Terms

• Grundausstattung: (Basic equipment/features) - The minimum, standard features.
• Sonderausstattung: (Optional/special equipment) - Additional features, often at extra cost.
• Vollausstattung: (Full equipment/features, fully loaded) - Maximum, most comprehensive features.
• Erstausstattung: (Initial equipment/kit) - The first set of equipment needed, e.g., for a baby or a new apartment.