die
Biene
🐝 What does "die Biene" mean?
Die Biene (noun, feminine) refers to a well-known flying insect from the order Hymenoptera. Bees are particularly known for their role in pollinating plants and producing honey (especially the Honigbiene - honey bee).
There is only one main meaning for the word *Biene* in modern German, and it always takes the article "die".
- Main Meaning: A yellow-and-black striped, buzzing insect that collects nectar.
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 of "die Biene"
*Biene* is a feminine noun. The article is always die.
Declension Singular
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die Biene | eine Biene (a bee) |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der Biene | einer Biene (of a bee) |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der Biene | einer Biene (to/for a bee) |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die Biene | eine Biene (a bee) |
Declension Plural
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article / No Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Bienen | Bienen / einige Bienen (bees / some bees) |
| Genitive | der Bienen | Bienen / einiger Bienen (of (the) bees / of some bees) |
| Dative | den Bienen | Bienen / einigen Bienen (to/for (the) bees / to/for some bees) |
| Accusative | die Bienen | Bienen / einige Bienen (bees / some bees) |
📝 Simple Examples
- Nominative: Die Biene summt im Garten. (The bee buzzes in the garden.)
- Genitive: Der Stachel der Biene ist klein. (The bee's sting is small.)
- Dative: Ich gebe der Biene etwas Zuckerwasser. (I give the bee some sugar water.)
- Accusative: Ich sehe die Biene auf der Blume. (I see the bee on the flower.)
- Plural: Viele Bienen leben im Bienenstock. (Many bees live in the beehive.)
🗣️ Everyday Usage: Die Biene
The word *Biene* is mainly used in biological or everyday contexts to refer to the insect.
- Nature & Environment: Talking about pollination (Bestäubung), honey production (Honigproduktion), insect diversity (Insektenvielfalt). (Bienen sind wichtig für das Ökosystem. - Bees are important for the ecosystem.)
- Idioms: There's the well-known idiom "fleißig wie eine Biene sein" (to be busy as a bee), describing a very hardworking person. (Meine Kollegin ist fleißig wie eine Biene. - My colleague is busy as a bee.)
- Distinction: Sometimes it's important to distinguish it from a wasp (die Wespe) or a bumblebee (die Hummel). Bees are usually hairier and less aggressive than wasps.
- Figurative (rare): Colloquially, *Biene* was sometimes used for an (attractive) girl, but this is very outdated today and can seem derogatory. ⚠️
🧠 Mnemonics for "Biene"
Remembering the Article "die"
Think of the famous German cartoon character: *die Biene Maja* (Maya the Bee)! She is female, just like the feminine article *die*.
Remembering the Meaning
A *Biene* (bee) sounds a bit like 'bean'. Imagine a tiny bee carrying a magic bean that grows into a flower.
🔄 Similar Words: Synonyms & Antonyms for Biene
Synonyms (Words with similar meaning)
- Imme: An older, more poetic word for bee. Rarely used today.
- Honigbiene: Specifically refers to the honey bee.
Antonyms (Opposites)
There isn't a direct antonym for the insect *Biene*.
Regarding the idiom "fleißig wie eine Biene" (busy as a bee):
- Faulpelz (der): A lazy person.
- Müßiggänger (der): An idle person.
🚨 Potential Confusion
- Wespe (die): Wasp. Similar appearance, but different body structure, often more aggressive, builds nests from paper-like material.
- Hummel (die): Bumblebee. Larger, hairier, and generally more peaceful than bees, but also belongs to the bee family.
😂 A Little Bee Joke
German: Was sagt eine Biene, die einen Fehler gemacht hat? – "Ups, das war wohl bienen daneben!"
English Translation: What does a bee say when it makes a mistake? – "Oops, that was bee-side the point!" (Play on words: "bienen daneben" sounds like "bien daneben" which is close to "daneben" - meaning missed, beside the point, or wrong.)
📜 Poem about the Bee
Die kleine Biene
Summ, summ, kleine Biene, (Buzz, buzz, little bee,)
flieg zur Blüte hin, (fly towards the flower,)
Sammle süßen Nektar, (Collect sweet nectar,)
das ist dein Gewinn. (that is your gain.)
Gelb und schwarz gestreift, (Yellow and black striped,)
so fliegst du durch die Luft, (so you fly through the air,)
Bringst den Honig heimwärts, (Bring the honey homewards,)
ein süßer, lieber Duft. (a sweet, lovely scent.)
❓ Little Riddle
German:
Ich trage Streifen, gelb und schwarz,
bin fleißig, niemals bin ich harsch.
Ich summ' ein Lied von Blütenduft
und bringe Süßes durch die Luft.
Wer bin ich?
English Translation:
I wear stripes, yellow and black,
I'm hardworking, never harsh on track.
I hum a song of floral scent
and bring sweetness through the air sent.
Who am I?
Answer: Die Biene (The Bee)
💡 More About "Biene"
- Compound Words: Many German words are formed with *Biene*, e.g., der Bienenstock (beehive), die Bienenkönigin (queen bee), der Bienenschwarm (swarm of bees), das Bienenwachs (beeswax), der Bienenhonig (bee honey).
- Bienensterben: An important environmental issue is *das Bienensterben* (bee die-off), describing the decline in bee populations, which impacts agriculture and ecosystems.
- Cultural Significance: The bee is often a symbol of diligence (Fleiß), order (Ordnung), and community (Gemeinschaft) (e.g., in the bee colony/state - Bienenstaat). The cartoon character *Biene Maja* (Maya the Bee) is very famous in German-speaking countries.
Summary: is it der, die or das Biene?
The word "Biene" referring to the well-known insect is always feminine. Therefore, the correct article is always die Biene.