die
Beilage
🍽️ What exactly is a 'Beilage'?
The German word die Beilage has two main meanings:
-
With food: A dish served alongside a main course to complement it. It's usually not the main component of the meal. Typical examples are Kartoffeln (potatoes), Reis (rice), Nudeln (pasta), Gemüse (vegetables), or Salat (salad).
Example: Zum Schnitzel gab es Pommes frites als Beilage. (With the Schnitzel, there were French fries as a side dish.)
-
With printed materials: Something enclosed with a newspaper (Zeitung), magazine (Zeitschrift), or letter (Brief). This could be advertising (Werbung), a brochure (Prospekt), an information leaflet, or even a CD/DVD.
Example: In der Sonntagszeitung war eine interessante Magazin-Beilage. (There was an interesting magazine supplement in the Sunday newspaper.)
🚨 Important: The word 'Beilage' only uses the article die because it is a feminine noun.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Beilage
The noun „Beilage“ is feminine. The article is always die.
Declension (Singular)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Beilage |
| Genitive | der | Beilage |
| Dative | der | Beilage |
| Accusative | die | Beilage |
Declension (Plural)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Beilagen |
| Genitive | der | Beilagen |
| Dative | den | Beilagen |
| Accusative | die | Beilagen |
Example Sentences
- Nominative: Die Beilage war sehr lecker. (The side dish was very tasty.)
- Genitive: Der Geschmack der Beilage passte gut zum Hauptgericht. (The taste of the side dish went well with the main course.)
- Dative: Ich gebe der Beilage noch etwas Salz hinzu. (I'm adding some salt to the side dish.)
- Accusative: Haben Sie die Beilage zur Zeitung schon gelesen? (Have you already read the newspaper supplement?)
- Plural: Wir bestellten verschiedene Beilagen zum Teilen. (We ordered various side dishes to share.)
💡 How and When to Use 'Beilage'
The use of die Beilage heavily depends on the context:
- In restaurants or when cooking: Here, 'Beilage' almost always refers to food items like Kartoffeln, Gemüse, Salat, Reis, etc., that accompany a main course (das Hauptgericht / die Hauptspeise). Germans often distinguish between Sättigungsbeilagen (filling side dishes like potatoes, pasta, rice) and Gemüsebeilagen (vegetable side dishes).
- In media or marketing contexts: Here, 'Beilage' means a separate item added to a printed product (Zeitung, Magazin) or a shipment (Paket). These are often advertising flyers (Werbeprospekte), magazines, catalogs, or product samples. Sometimes the terms Einhefter (insert) or Supplement are used.
So, there's a clear distinction between the culinary and the publishing meaning. The context makes it clear which one is intended.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Beilage'
Article Mnemonic: Think of 'die Speisekarte' (the menu) or 'die Zeitung' (the newspaper) – both are feminine, and you find a 'die Beilage' in both contexts.
Meaning Mnemonic: A 'Beilage' lies beside (liegt bei) something – either it lies beside the main dish on the plate, or it lies beside the main content in the newspaper.
🔄 Similar and Opposite Words
Synonyms (depending on meaning)
- For food: Nebengericht (side dish), Sättigungsbeilage (filling side dish), Gemüsebeilage (vegetable side dish), Zutat (ingredient - context dependent)
- For print: Anlage (enclosure, attachment), Einlage (insert), Supplement (supplement), Prospekt (brochure), Werbeblatt (flyer), Beihefter (insert), Zusatz (addition)
Antonyms
- For food: Hauptgericht, Hauptspeise (main course)
- For print: Hauptteil (main section - of the newspaper/magazine)
⚠️ Watch out for confusion: The German word Anlage can also mean investment or park/grounds. Zutat usually refers more specifically to individual components used during cooking.
😂 A Little Joke
Fragt der Kellner: „Möchten Sie zum Steak noch eine Beilage?“
Antwortet der Gast: „Ja, gerne! Eine Beilage aus Geldscheinen wäre nett!“
Waiter asks: "Would you like a side dish with your steak?"
Guest replies: "Yes, please! A side dish of banknotes would be nice!"
📜 A Little Poem
Die Beilage, fein und klein,
liegt beim Braten, soll so sein.
Ob Kartoffel, Reis, Salat,
stets willkommen, keine Frage, glatt.
Auch im Blatt, das man studiert,
ist sie oft mit beigelegt, versiert.
Werbung, Glanz und Information,
die Beilage kennt jede Saison.
The side dish, fine and small,
lies with the roast, standing tall.
Potato, rice, or salad green,
always welcome, a lovely scene.
Also in the page one reads,
it's often enclosed for our needs.
Ads, gloss, and information,
the supplement/insert knows every season.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich lieg' gern neben Fleisch und Fisch,
mach' bunt und voll den Mittagstisch.
Doch find'st du mich auch oft gepresst,
in Zeitungen beim Morgenfest.
Was bin ich?
... Die Beilage
I like to lie next to meat and fish,
making the lunch table colorful and lavish.
But you also often find me pressed,
in newspapers during the morning fest.
What am I?
... Die Beilage (the side dish / the supplement)
🧩 Other Interesting Details
Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):
The word "Beilage" is composed of:
- bei-: A prefix indicating proximity or addition (like in beilegen - to enclose, beistehen - to support).
- Lage: A noun referring to position or the act of lying.
Together, it literally means something that "lies beside" or "is added to".
Culinary Diversity (Kulinarische Vielfalt): The world of side dishes is vast and varies greatly across cultures. What is considered a 'Beilage' in one cuisine (e.g., rice in Asia) might be almost a main dish elsewhere.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Beilage?
The noun Beilage is feminine, so the correct article is always die. There are no other articles used with this word.