die
Bahn
🛤️ What does "die Bahn" mean?
The word die Bahn (feminine) has several meanings in German. Here are the most important ones:
- Railway/Train: This is probably the most common meaning, often used as a short form for Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German national railway company. Example: Ich nehme die Bahn nach Berlin. (I'm taking the train to Berlin.)
- Path/Track/Course: Refers to a predetermined or natural route. Example: Die Läufer sind auf der letzten Bahn ihrer Runde. (The runners are on the last lap/track of their round.) (Laufbahn - running track); Die Planeten folgen ihrer Bahn um die Sonne. (The planets follow their orbit/path around the sun.) (Umlaufbahn - orbit)
- Lane: Especially in road traffic. Example: Bitte wechseln Sie auf die rechte Bahn. (Please move to the right lane.) (Fahrbahn - lane/roadway)
- Figurative Meaning: Metaphorically, it can describe a life path or development. Example: Er ist auf die schiefe Bahn geraten. (He's gone off the rails / gone down the wrong path.); Etwas in geordnete Bahnen lenken. (To channel something into orderly paths / get something organized.)
- Technology: A Leiterbahn (conductor path/trace) on a circuit board or a Datenbahn (data bus).
🚨 There are no other articles for "Bahn" in these meanings; it is always die Bahn.
🧐 Grammar of "die Bahn" in Detail
"Bahn" is a feminine noun. Its declension follows the regular pattern for feminine nouns.
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Bahn |
| Genitive | der | Bahn |
| Dative | der | Bahn |
| Accusative | die | Bahn |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Bahnen |
| Genitive | der | Bahnen |
| Dative | den | Bahnen |
| Accusative | die | Bahnen |
Example Sentences
- Die Bahn hat heute Verspätung. (The train is delayed today. - Nominative Singular)
- Die Farbe der Bahn ist rot. (The color of the track/train is red. - Genitive Singular)
- Ich fahre mit der Bahn zur Arbeit. (I take the train to work. - Dative Singular)
- Siehst du die Bahn dort drüben? (Do you see the train/track over there? - Accusative Singular)
- Die verschiedenen Bahnen der Planeten sind komplex. (The different orbits of the planets are complex. - Nominative Plural)
- Der Zustand der Bahnen ist schlecht. (The condition of the tracks/lanes is bad. - Genitive Plural)
- Auf den Bahnen staut es sich. (There are traffic jams on the lanes. - Dative Plural)
- Die Stadt erneuert die Bahnen der Straßenbahn. (The city is renewing the tram tracks. - Accusative Plural)
💡 How to Use "die Bahn"
The use of die Bahn strongly depends on the context:
- Everyday Life (Transport): Mostly refers to the train or the railway company ("Deutsche Bahn"). "Nimmst du das Auto oder die Bahn?" (Are you taking the car or the train?)
- Sports: Refers to the marked track, e.g., in running (Laufbahn), swimming (Schwimmbahn), or bowling (Kegelbahn).
- Road Traffic: Means the lane (Fahrbahn, rechte/linke Bahn - right/left lane). The Autobahn is a specific type of highway.
- Physics/Astronomy: The orbit or trajectory of an object (Planetenbahn - planetary orbit, Flugbahn - trajectory).
- Figurative Sense: Often in fixed expressions like "aus der Bahn werfen" (to throw someone off track/confuse them), "in neuen Bahnen denken" (to think along new lines), "freie Bahn haben" (to have a clear path/be unimpeded).
- Technology: Leiterbahn (conductor path/trace on circuit boards), Datenbahn (data bus).
Important Context: Without further context, "die Bahn" is usually understood as "the train" or "the railway company".
Distinction from similar words:
- Der Zug: Refers specifically to the vehicle. "Die Bahn" can also mean the system, the tracks, or the company.
- Der Weg: More general than "die Bahn", can also be unpaved or abstract.
- Die Straße: Refers to the entire paved surface for vehicles, while "die Bahn" often means just one lane (exception: Autobahn).
🧠 Mnemonics for "die Bahn"
For the Article: Many feminine nouns end in -e. Although "Bahn" doesn't, remember that related concepts like die Eisenbahn (railway) or die Autobahn (highway) are also feminine (die). Picture Dee (for 'die') taking the Bahn (train).
For the Meanings: Think of a defined line or track: A Bahn is like a pre-drawn line – whether for a train 🚆, a car 🚗 on the Autobahn, a runner 🏃 on the Laufbahn, or a planet 🪐 in its Umlaufbahn (orbit).
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Words)
- For Eisenbahn/Zug (train): der Zug, die Eisenbahn, die Schiene (often plural: auf Schienen - on rails)
- For Weg/Strecke (path/track): der Weg, der Pfad, die Strecke, die Spur, die Route, die Trasse
- For Fahrspur (lane): die Fahrspur, die Spur
- For Umlaufbahn (orbit): der Orbit, die Umlaufbahn, die Flugbahn
Antonyms (Opposites)
Direct antonyms are difficult, but depending on the meaning:
⚠️ Similar Sounding Words
😄 A Little Joke
German: Fragt der Schaffner: "Ist hier noch frei?" Antwortet der Fahrgast: "Ja, aber der Platz ist reserviert – für meine Verspätung!"
English: The conductor asks: "Is this seat free?" The passenger replies: "Yes, but the seat is reserved – for my delay!"
📜 Poem about the Bahn
Die Bahn
Auf Schienen blank, so fährt sie hin,
Die Bahn, die bringt uns schnell ans Ziel.
Durch Stadt und Land, mit lautem Sinn,
Ein stählernes, geschäftig Spiel.
Mal pünktlich, mal zu spät sie dran,
Doch stets verbindet sie die Welt.
Auf ihrer festen, klaren Bahn,
Ein Reisebild, das uns gefällt.
The Train/Path (Translation)
On shiny rails, it travels forth,
The train, it takes us swiftly to our goal.
Through town and country, with loud worth,
A steely, busy playing role.
Sometimes on time, sometimes delayed,
But always it connects the sphere.
On its firm, clear path displayed,
A travel picture we hold dear.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich habe Schienen, aber keinen Zug im Bauch.
Ich habe Spuren, doch laufe selber nicht.
Manchmal bin ich eine Straße, manchmal auch
Ein Weg der Sterne im Himmelslicht.
Was bin ich?
English Translation:
I have rails, but no train in my belly.
I have tracks/lanes, but do not run myself.
Sometimes I am a road, sometimes also
A path of stars in the heavenly light.
What am I? ... Die Bahn (the track/path/lane/orbit/train system)
🧩 Additional Info
Word Compounds
"Bahn" is a very productive base word in German. Here are some examples (many relate to specific types of 'Bahn'):
- Transport: Bahnhof (train station), Autobahn (highway), Bundesbahn (federal railway), Straßenbahn (tram), U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (city train), Schwebebahn (suspension railway), Bergbahn (mountain railway), Fahrbahn (lane/roadway)
- Sports/Leisure: Laufbahn (running track), Kegelbahn (bowling alley), Achterbahn (roller coaster), Rodelbahn (toboggan run), Eisbahn (ice rink)
- Science/Technology: Umlaufbahn (orbit), Flugbahn (trajectory), Datenbahn (data bus), Leiterbahn (conductor path)
- Abstract: Lebensbahn (life path), Karrierebahn (career path)
Trivia
The abbreviation "DB" for Deutsche Bahn is ubiquitous in Germany.
Summary: is it der, die or das Bahn?
The German word "Bahn" is always feminine. The correct article is die Bahn. There are no variations using "der" or "das" for this word in its common meanings (train, path, lane, orbit, etc.).