die
Biographie
📖 What exactly is a Biographie?
Die Biographie (also spelled Biografie) is a life description or account of someone's life. It tells the story of a life, often from birth to death or up to the present day, highlighting important events, achievements, challenges, and the character of the person portrayed.
It is an account based on facts, research, interviews, and documents, as opposed to a fictional novel.
🚨 Attention: The spelling „Biografie“ is also correct and nowadays more common in German.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ie → almost always feminine.
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
🧐 Grammar Deep Dive: die Biographie
The word „Biographie“ is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always „die“.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Biographie |
| Genitive | der | Biographie |
| Dative | der | Biographie |
| Accusative | die | Biographie |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Biographien |
| Genitive | der | Biographien |
| Dative | den | Biographien |
| Accusative | die | Biographien |
Example Sentences:
- Die Biographie von Marie Curie ist sehr inspirierend. (Marie Curie's biography is very inspiring.)
- Ich lese gerade eine interessante Biographie über Albert Einstein. (I am currently reading an interesting biography about Albert Einstein.)
- Der Autor widmete sich jahrelang dem Schreiben der Biographie. (The author dedicated years to writing the biography.)
- In vielen Biographien berühmter Persönlichkeiten finden sich überraschende Details. (In many biographies of famous personalities, surprising details can be found.)
✍️ How to Use "Biographie"?
The term „Biographie“ is mainly used in the context of literature, history, and personal interest.
- Literature: As a genre designation for books or films that depict a life.
- History: To describe the life course of historical figures.
- Everyday life: When talking about the life of a known or unknown person whose life story is being told.
Typical phrases include:
- eine Biographie schreiben / verfassen (to write / compose a biography)
- eine Biographie lesen (to read a biography)
- die Biographie von jemandem (someone's biography)
- eine autorisierte / nicht autorisierte Biographie (an authorized / unauthorized biography)
There is sometimes a risk of confusion with „Autobiographie“, where the person describes their own life.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
For the article „die“: Think of die Story. A Biographie tells die Story of a life. Many feminine nouns in German end in -e, like Biographie. Also, 'biography' in English is conceptually singular, often relating to 'her story', linking to feminine 'die'.
For the meaning: „Bio“ comes from Greek meaning „life“, and „Graphie“ means „writing“. So: die life-writing.
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Die Lebensbeschreibung: Very direct translation ('life description'), somewhat more formal.
- Die Lebensgeschichte: Emphasizes the narrative aspect ('life story').
- Der Lebenslauf: Often shorter, fact-oriented, e.g., for job applications (CV), but can also mean a narrated life story.
- Das Porträt: Can be written ('portrait'), but often emphasizes character depiction.
⚠️ Don't confuse with: Die Autobiographie is the life description written by the person themselves (autobiography).
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt der Verleger den Autor: „Ist Ihre neue Biographie schon fertig?“
Antwortet der Autor: „Nein, die Hauptfigur weigert sich noch zu sterben!“
(Publisher asks the author: "Is your new biography finished yet?"
Author replies: "No, the main character still refuses to die!")
📜 A Short Poem about Biographie
Ein Leben, fest auf Papier gebannt,
Die Biographie, mit kundiger Hand.
Von Freud und Leid, von Sieg und Fall,
Erzählt sie uns, verständlich all'.
Ein Schicksal, das uns lehren kann,
Was einst geschah, von Frau und Mann.
(A life, captured firmly on paper,
The biography, by a skillful hand.
Of joy and sorrow, of victory and fall,
It tells us, understandable to all.
A fate that can teach us,
What once happened, of woman and man.)
🤔 Little Riddle
Ich erzähl' dir eines Menschen Lauf,
Von Kindheit an, bergauf, bergab.
Ich bin geschrieben, nicht erdacht,
Und hab schon manchen Leser wach gemacht.
Was bin ich? (Lösung: die Biographie)
(I tell you of a person's course,
From childhood on, uphill, downhill.
I am written, not conceived,
And have kept many a reader wide awake.
What am I?
Solution: the biography)
💡 More Facts
Word Composition: The word „Biographie“ comes from Greek:
- βίος (bios) = life
- γράφειν (graphein) = to write, to draw
So it literally means „life writing“.
Alternative Spelling: As mentioned, besides „Biographie“, „Biografie“ is also a valid and commonly used spelling in German.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Biographie?
The German word Biographie (biography) is feminine. Therefore, the correct article is always die: die Biographie, der Biographie, etc.