die  Beantwortung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/bəˈʔantvɔʁtʊŋ/

📖 What does 'die Beantwortung' mean?

Die Beantwortung (noun, feminine) describes the act of answering a question, an inquiry, a letter, or an email. It can also refer to the result of this process, i.e., the answer given, often in a formal context.

It is derived from the verb beantworten (to answer). The suffix '-ung', as with many German nouns, signals the feminine gender.

Examples:

• Die schnelle Beantwortung meiner E-Mail hat mich gefreut. (I was pleased about the quick answering of my email. - Here: the act of answering)
• Die Beantwortung war leider unvollständig. (Unfortunately, the response was incomplete. - Here: the given answer)

⚠️ It's important to distinguish between 'die Beantwortung' (the act of answering) and 'die Antwort' (the answer itself), although they can sometimes be used synonymously. 'Beantwortung' often emphasizes the process or the formal act.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of 'die Beantwortung' in Detail

'Die Beantwortung' is a feminine noun. It is primarily used in the singular, as the plural ('die Beantwortungen') is rather rare and usually refers to multiple individual answering processes or response documents.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Beantwortung Ihrer Anfrage erfolgt in Kürze.
   (The answering of your inquiry will follow shortly.)
2. Die Qualität der Beantwortung ließ zu wünschen übrig.
   (The quality of the response left much to be desired.)
3. Wir widmen uns nun der Beantwortung der letzten Fragen.
   (We will now address the answering of the final questions.)
4. Ich erwarte die Beantwortung bis morgen.
   (I expect the response by tomorrow.)
5. Die Beantwortungen aller Prüfungsfragen wurden eingesammelt.
   (The answers/responses to all exam questions were collected. - Plural, rare)

💡 How is 'die Beantwortung' used?

'Die Beantwortung' is often used in formal or official contexts:

• Correspondence: Answering letters, emails, applications, complaints (Beantwortung von Briefen, E-Mails, Anträgen, Beschwerden).
• Customer Service: Answering customer inquiries, support tickets (Beantwortung von Kundenanfragen, Support-Tickets).
• Exams/Tests: Answering exam questions, tasks (Beantwortung von Prüfungsfragen, Aufgaben).
• Surveys/Forms: The answering of questions in a questionnaire (Die Beantwortung der Fragen in einem Fragebogen).
• Discussions/Meetings: The oral answering of questions in a formal setting (Die mündliche Beantwortung von Fragen).

Comparison with 'die Antwort' (the answer):

• Die Antwort: Usually refers to the content, the information given as a reaction. Example: Seine Antwort war kurz und bündig. (His answer was short and sweet.)
• Die Beantwortung: Emphasizes the act, the process, or the formal action of answering. Example: Die Beantwortung des Schreibens nahm viel Zeit in Anspruch. (The answering of the letter took a lot of time.)

Although 'Antwort' is often sufficient, 'Beantwortung' gives the statement a more official or process-oriented character.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Beantwortung'

Article Mnemonic: Many nouns ending in -ung are feminine (die), just like die Antwort (the answer) itself. Think of: die Leistung (performance), die Meinung (opinion), die Fragestellung (phrasing of a question)... and thus die Beantwortung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you have to 'be' working on an 'Antwort' (answer). This whole process, the do'ing' part, is 'die Beantwortung'.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Misleading Words:

• Die Verantwortung: (Responsibility) - Sounds similar but has a completely different meaning.

😄 A Little Joke

German: Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Können Sie mir bitte eine schnelle Beantwortung meiner E-Mail von gestern geben?"
Antwortet der Mitarbeiter: "Klar Chef, die Beantwortung lautet: 'Ja, ich habe Ihre E-Mail erhalten!' Mehr stand da aber nicht drin."

English Translation: The boss asks the new employee: "Could you please give me a quick response (Beantwortung) to my email from yesterday?"
The employee replies: "Sure boss, the response (Beantwortung) is: 'Yes, I received your email!' But that's all it said."

✍️ Poem about 'Beantwortung'

German:
Eine Frage schwebt im Raum,
Wartet, kaum zu glauben,
Auf die klärende Erleuchtung,
Auf die prompte Beantwortung.

Ob per Mail, ob per Brief,
Manchmal kurz, manchmal tief,
Der Prozess, das ist das Ding,
Das die Antwort endlich bring'.

English Translation:
A question hangs in the air,
Waiting, beyond compare,
For the clarifying insight,
For the prompt answering so bright.

Whether by mail or by letter penned,
Sometimes brief, sometimes profound, my friend,
The process, that's the key,
That finally brings the answer, you see.

🕵️ Riddle

German:
Ich bin der Akt, der auf ein Fragen folgt,
Mal schnell, mal wird mir Zeit gezollt.
In Briefen steh ich, klar und rein,
Bin oft formell, kann wichtig sein.
Die Antwort selbst, die bin ich nicht,
Doch bringe ich sie oft ans Licht.

Was bin ich?
(Lösung: die Beantwortung)

English Translation:
I am the act that follows a query's call,
Sometimes swift, sometimes taking time from all.
In letters I stand, clear and true,
Often formal, important for you.
The answer itself, I am not quite,
But I often bring it into light.

What am I?
(Solution: die Beantwortung / the answering/response)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word 'Beantwortung' is composed of:

• be-: A prefix often indicating an action performed on an object (to answer something - etwas beantworten).
• Antwort: The base word (answer).
• -ung: A suffix that turns verbs into nouns, usually indicating a process or result, and typically signifies feminine gender.

So, it is the nominalization (noun form) of the verb beantworten (to answer).