die
Auszeit
⏳ What does "die Auszeit" mean?
Die Auszeit is a feminine noun and refers to a limited break or interruption from an activity, an obligation, or everyday life. It's a period of rest, recovery, or reorientation.
- In sports: A short interruption of the game, often requested by the coach (Time-out).
- In professional life: A longer break from work, often unpaid, like a Sabbatical or for personal development.
- In everyday life: A short or longer break from daily stress to recharge one's batteries or focus on oneself.
🚨 Important: An Auszeit is often longer and more deliberately planned than a simple Pause (e.g., a coffee break).
Article rules for der, die, and das
Time → mostly feminine.
There are many exceptions, e.g. the entire category "Weekdays, months, seasons" (masculine/der).
📚 Grammar in Detail: Die Auszeit
The word "Auszeit" is a feminine noun. The article is always die.
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die | Auszeit |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der | Auszeit |
| Dative (To whom/What?) | der | Auszeit |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die | Auszeit |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Auszeiten |
| Genitive | der | Auszeiten |
| Dative | den | Auszeiten |
| Accusative | die | Auszeiten |
💡 Example Sentences
- Nominative: Die Auszeit tat ihm sehr gut. (The break did him a lot of good.)
- Genitive: Trotz der Auszeit konnte die Mannschaft das Spiel nicht mehr drehen. (Despite the time-out, the team couldn't turn the game around anymore.)
- Dative: Nach der Auszeit fühlte sie sich erfrischt. (After the break, she felt refreshed.)
- Accusative: Er nahm sich eine Auszeit von seiner Arbeit. (He took a break/time off from his work.)
- Plural: Wir brauchen regelmäßige Auszeiten, um gesund zu bleiben. (We need regular breaks/time-outs to stay healthy.)
🗣️ How to Use "die Auszeit"
"Die Auszeit" is used in various contexts to describe a deliberate interruption:
- Sports context: "Der Trainer nahm eine Auszeit, um die Taktik zu besprechen." (The coach took a time-out to discuss tactics.) Here it's synonymous with the English "time-out".
- Professional context: "Nach zehn Jahren im Job gönnte sie sich eine sechsmonatige Auszeit." (After ten years on the job, she treated herself to a six-month break/sabbatical.) This can be a sabbatical or unpaid leave.
- Personal context: "Ich brauche dringend eine kleine Auszeit vom Alltagsstress." (I urgently need a little break from everyday stress.) This could be a weekend, a holiday, or simply a quiet evening.
Distinction from similar words:
- Pause: Usually shorter and less formal than an Auszeit (e.g., Mittagspause - lunch break, Kaffeepause - coffee break).
- Urlaub: Refers specifically to time off work one is legally or contractually entitled to, often used for travel. An Auszeit can also be an Urlaub, but the term emphasizes rest or reorientation more.
- Unterbrechung: A more general term for any kind of stop, often unexpected (e.g., Stromunterbrechung - power outage).
Common phrases are: "sich eine Auszeit nehmen" (to take a break/time out) or "eine Auszeit brauchen/genießen/gönnen" (to need/enjoy/allow oneself a break).
🧠 Memory Aids for "die Auszeit"
Article Mnemonic (die)
Imagine someone dramatically declaring: "She needs a break!" Think of needing time for self-care, often associated stereotypically with feminine energy ('she' -> 'die'). So, it's die Auszeit. Or link it to die Zeit (time) – both are feminine.
Meaning Mnemonic (Break/Time-out)
Think of the components: Aus-Zeit. You are taking time ('Zeit') to be 'out' ('Aus') – out of the game, out of the office, out of the daily grind. It's 'out-time'.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "Auszeit"
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Pause: (often shorter)
- Unterbrechung: (interruption, more general)
- Ruhepause: (rest break)
- Erholungspause: (recovery break)
- Sabbatical / Sabbatjahr: (long professional break)
- Time-out: (mainly in sports)
- Freizeit: (free time, general non-work time)
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Arbeitszeit: (working time)
- Dienstzeit: (time on duty)
- Weiterführung / Fortsetzung: (continuation)
- Pflicht: (duty, obligation)
- Stress / Hektik: (stress / hustle and bustle - the state one might escape with an Auszeit)
⚠️ Caution: While Freizeit (free time) is similar, Auszeit often denotes a specific, conscious period of unavailability or withdrawal, whereas Freizeit is the general time outside of work/duties.
😂 A Little Joke
DE: Warum nehmen Uhrmacher manchmal eine Auszeit?
Damit sie mal wieder Zeit für sich haben! 😄
EN: Why do watchmakers sometimes take a break (eine Auszeit)?
So they can have some time for themselves again! 😄 (It's a pun on "Zeit" - time).
✍️ Poem about Auszeit
DE:
Der Stress, er zieht, die Pflicht, sie ruft,
die Luft ist raus, verbrauchte Luft.
Der Kopf ist voll, das Herz ist schwer,
ein Wunsch wird laut: Ich kann nicht mehr!
Dann nimm sie dir, ganz ohne Streit,
die wohltuende, schöne Auszeit.
Leg Arbeit weg, leg Sorgen nieder,
tank Kraft und komm gestärkt dann wieder!
EN Translation:
The stress it pulls, the duty calls,
the air is gone, used air enthralls.
The head is full, the heart feels sore,
a wish grows loud: I can't take more!
Then take it now, without a fight,
the soothing, lovely break/respite (Auszeit).
Put work aside, put worries down,
recharge your strength, return renowned!
🧩 Little Riddle
DE:
Ich bin kein Urlaub, doch Erholung pur.
Im Sport stoppt meinetwegen kurz die Uhr.
Vom Job kann ich ein Sabbatical sein,
ich geb dir Raum, nur für dich allein.
Wer oder was bin ich?
Lösung: die Auszeit
EN Translation:
I'm not a vacation, but pure relaxation.
In sports, the clock stops shortly for my duration.
From work, I can be a sabbatical leave,
I give you space, just for you to receive.
What am I?
Answer: die Auszeit (the break/time-out)
💡 Trivia & Other Information
Word Composition:
The word "Auszeit" is a compound noun, formed from:
- aus: preposition/adverb, here indicating movement 'out' or a state of being 'outside'.
- Zeit: noun (die Zeit - time).
So, it literally describes a "time outside" of the normal routine or activity.
Common Phrases:
- sich (Dativ) eine Auszeit nehmen/gönnen: The most common way to talk about taking a break. (e.g., "Ich nehme mir eine Auszeit." - I'm taking a break/time out.)
- eine Auszeit brauchen: To express the need for a break. (to need a break)
- in eine Auszeit gehen: To withdraw for a specific period. (to go on a break/sabbatical)
Summary: is it der, die or das Auszeit?
The correct article for the word "Auszeit" is exclusively die. It is a feminine noun: die Auszeit.