die  Bestmarke

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/bəˈstmaʁkə/

🏆 What does "die Bestmarke" mean?

The German word die Bestmarke (feminine, article: die) refers to the highest achievement reached so far in a specific discipline, often in a sports context. It translates to a record or a personal best.

• Meaning 1: Highest achieved performance, record (often in sports).
• Meaning 2: An individual's personal best performance.

There are no other articles for this word; it's always die Bestmarke. ⚠️ Don't confuse it with 'Marke' in the sense of a brand or trademark, although it's linguistically related ('marking' an achievement).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Declension of Bestmarke

The noun "Bestmarke" is feminine. Here is its declension:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Der Schwimmer stellte eine neue Bestmarke über 100 Meter auf.
   (The swimmer set a new record for 100 meters.)
2. Sie hat ihre persönliche Bestmarke im Marathon um fünf Minuten verbessert.
   (She improved her personal best in the marathon by five minutes.)
3. Die alte Bestmarke hatte zehn Jahre Bestand.
   (The old record stood for ten years.)

💡 How to Use "Bestmarke"?

"Bestmarke" is mainly used in contexts where performances are measured and compared:

• Sports: Very common in sports journalism and competitions (e.g., Weltbestmarke - world record, Jahresbestmarke - year's best performance).
• Personal Goals: You can talk about your own "persönliche Bestmarke" (personal best), even outside of sports (e.g., in learning, projects).
• Business/Technology: Less common, but possible to describe peak values (e.g., Produktionsbestmarke - production record).

Comparison:

• Der Rekord: Often synonymous, but "Rekord" can be more general and doesn't necessarily have to be a *personal* achievement (e.g., Hitzerekord - heat record).
• Die Bestleistung: Very similar to Bestmarke, often interchangeable. Means 'best performance'.
• Der Spitzenwert: More likely used in technical or economic contexts for 'peak value'.

🧠 Mnemonics for Bestmarke

Article Mnemonic: Think of a performance - many feminine German nouns end in -e. The performance that sets the highest mark is die Bestmarke.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine the "best mark" someone leaves behind – the highest mark on a scale or the best time on a stopwatch. It's literally the best mark ever set.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar Words (Caution!):

• die Marke: Can refer to a product brand (Markenname) or a mark/sign, not necessarily a performance record.
• die Benchmark: English loanword, often used in business contexts for a standard of comparison.

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat die Schnecke eine Bestmarke im Langsamsein aufgestellt?
Weil sie nie über ihre Verhältnisse geschleimt hat! 😉

(Why did the snail set a record for being slow?
Because it never slimed beyond its means! - It's a pun on 'schleimen' which means 'to slime' but also 'to suck up/brown-nose', and 'über seine Verhältnisse leben' meaning 'to live beyond one's means'.)

📜 Poem about Bestmarke

Schneller, höher, weiter hinaus,
Der Schweiß, er rinnt, welch ein Applaus.
Die Uhr, sie stoppt, die Menge staunt,
Eine neue Bestmarke wurd' ergaunert... äh, erlaufen, klar!
Ein Moment für die Ewigkeit,
Festgehalten in Zeit und Weit'.

(Faster, higher, further out,
Sweat runs down, what an applause about.
The clock stops, the crowd stares,
A new record was cheated... uh, run for, clearly fair!
A moment for eternity,
Captured in time and immensity.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin ein Ziel, oft heiß begehrt,
Im Sport mein Wert wird hoch verehrt.
Ich zeige an, was keiner schafft,
Die höchste Zahl, die größte Kraft.

Was bin ich?

(I am a goal, often highly desired,
In sports, my value is much admired.
I show what no one else achieves,
The highest number, the greatest weaves [of strength].

What am I?) → Die Bestmarke (The record / personal best)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word "Bestmarke" is a compound noun, composed of:

• Best- : Superlative of "gut" (good), meaning "best".
• die Marke : Here in the sense of "mark", "sign", or "measurement point".

So it literally means the "best mark" or the "best point reached".

Trivia:

The term is particularly common in track and field and swimming, but you also often hear about "neue Bestmarken" (new records) for world records in other fields.