die  Balance

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/baˈlãːsə/

⚖️ What does "die Balance" mean?

Die Balance is a feminine noun in German, borrowed from French, and has several related meanings:

• State of equilibrium: This is the most common meaning. It describes the state where different forces or influences cancel each other out, resulting in stability. This can refer to the body (e.g., standing on one leg), mental states (inner equilibrium), or abstract concepts (e.g., the balance of power in politics).
• Equilibrium / Composure: Closely related to equilibrium, this often refers to inner harmony or a stable relationship between different elements (e.g., Work-Life-Balance).
• Account Balance (less common, more technical): In finance, die Balance can also refer to the balance of an account, meaning the difference between debits and credits. However, the word der Saldo is more commonly used for this.

🚨 Attention: Although Balance is often interchangeable with Gleichgewicht (equilibrium), Balance sometimes carries a finer nuance, suggesting an active effort to maintain or find equilibrium.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar in Detail: die Balance

Balance is a feminine noun. The article is always die.

Declension of "die Balance"

Nouns in German change their form depending on the grammatical case (Kasus).

Example Sentences

• Der Tänzer verlor kurz die Balance. (The dancer briefly lost his balance.)
• Es ist wichtig, eine gute Balance zwischen Arbeit und Freizeit zu finden. (It's important to find a good balance between work and free time.)
• Sie versucht, ihre innere Balance wiederzufinden. (She is trying to regain her inner balance.)
• Die Balance des Kontos wird am Monatsende geprüft. (The account balance is checked at the end of the month. - less common use)

🤸‍♀️ Application and Context: die Balance

Die Balance is used in many contexts:

• Physical: In sports, dancing, or walking on uneven ground (e.g., die Balance halten - to keep balance, die Balance verlieren - to lose balance).
• Psychological/Emotional: In relation to well-being and stress management (e.g., innere Balance - inner balance, seelische Balance - emotional balance).
• Professional/Social: Often in the phrase Work-Life-Balance, but also metaphorically for the equilibrium of interests or powers.
• Financial (less common): As a synonym for Saldo (account balance), mostly in specific professional fields.

Comparison with "Gleichgewicht": Das Gleichgewicht is the more common native German word and can often be used synonymously. Die Balance sometimes sounds more modern or specific, especially in the context of wellness or work-life topics. Sometimes Balance emphasizes the active effort to achieve equilibrium more strongly.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Balance"

Article Mnemonic: Think of an elegant female dancer balancing on a rope. She maintains her balance. Many feminine nouns in German end in -e, like die Tänzerin, die Eleganz. Associate the feminine imagery and the -e sound with die Balance.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine old weighing scales – also called a *balance* in English. When the scales are even, they are in equilibrium. The scales maintain the *Balance*.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for die Balance

⚠️ Similar Words: Die Bilanz (balance sheet) is not the same as die Balance (equilibrium). A Bilanz is a statement of the assets and liabilities of a company at a specific point in time.

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Lehrer: "Fritzchen, was ist das Wichtigste für die Balance auf dem Fahrrad?"
Fritzchen: "Dass die Kette nicht abspringt!"

Translation:
The teacher asks: "Little Fritz, what's the most important thing for balance on a bicycle?"
Little Fritz: "That the chain doesn't come off!"

📜 Poem about Balance

Auf schwankendem Seil, das Leben ein Tanz,
sucht jeder die Mitte, den sicheren Glanz.
Mal links, mal rechts, ein ständiges Spiel,
die Balance zu halten, das ist das Ziel.
Zwischen Hektik und Ruhe, zwischen Laut und Leis',
findet die Seele ihren Halt, ihren Preis.
In Arbeit und Muße, in Liebe und Streit,
liegt in der Balance die Zufriedenheit.

Translation:
On a swaying rope, life is a dance,
everyone seeks the center, the secure glance.
Sometimes left, sometimes right, a constant game,
to keep the balance, that is the aim.
Between hectic and calm, between loud and low,
the soul finds its hold, its prize, its glow.
In work and leisure, in love and strife,
in balance lies contentment in life.

❓ Riddle

Ich habe keine Waage, doch ich messe Gewicht.
Ich habe keine Stimme, doch von Ausgleich man spricht.
Verlierst du mich beim Gehen, fällst du vielleicht hin.
Suchst du mich im Leben, gibt es Sinn.

Was bin ich?

Translation:
I have no scales, yet I measure weight.
I have no voice, yet people speak of equilibrium.
If you lose me while walking, you might fall down.
If you seek me in life, it makes sense.

What am I?

Solution: die Balance (balance)

💡 Other Information

Etymology: The German word Balance was borrowed in the 17th century from the French word balance, which in turn comes from the Late Latin bilanx ("scale with two pans") (from bi- "two-" and lanx "pan, plate"). The connection to weighing scales is therefore directly anchored in the origin of the word.

Compounds: Common compounds include Work-Life-Balance or Balanceakt (balancing act).