die  Börse

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈbœʁzə/

📈 What Exactly is 'die Börse'?

The word die Börse is feminine and primarily has two meanings in German:

1. The Stock Exchange / Stock Market: This is the most common meaning. A Börse is an organized marketplace (physical or electronic) where standardized goods like securities (Wertpapiere) such as stocks (Aktien) or bonds (Anleihen), foreign currencies (Devisen), or commodities (Rohstoffe) are traded. Prices are determined by supply (Angebot) and demand (Nachfrage). Famous examples include the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse) or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
   Example: Die Kurse an der Börse sind heute gefallen. (Stock prices fell on the stock exchange today.)
2. The Purse / Wallet: A small bag or pouch used for carrying money (coins and bills), IDs, and cards. Synonyms include Portemonnaie or Geldbeutel. This meaning is older or more regional today.
   Example: Er zückte seine Börse, um zu bezahlen. (He pulled out his purse/wallet to pay.) ⚠️ Note: Nowadays, 'Geldbörse' or 'Portemonnaie' are more common for this meaning.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📜 Grammar Insights for 'die Börse'

'Börse' is a feminine noun, so it always uses the article 'die'. Its declension (how it changes form in cases) follows the regular pattern for feminine nouns.

Singular Declension (Einzahl)

Plural Declension (Mehrzahl)

The plural of 'die Börse' is 'die Börsen'.

Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)

• Die Börse in Frankfurt ist wichtig. (The stock exchange in Frankfurt is important.)
• Er beobachtet die Börse jeden Tag. (He watches the stock market every day.)
• Wir treffen uns vor der Börse. (We meet in front of the stock exchange building.)
• Die Regeln der Börse sind komplex. (The rules of the stock exchange are complex.)
• Viele Börsen sind digitalisiert. (Many stock exchanges are digitized.)
• Sie verlor ihre Börse im Zug. (She lost her purse on the train.)

💡 How to Use 'die Börse'

The usage of die Börse depends heavily on the intended meaning:

• Financial Context (Meaning 1): Here, 'die Börse' is the standard term. You talk about 'an der Börse handeln' (to trade on the stock exchange), 'die Börse beobachten' (to watch the stock market), 'Börsenkurse' (stock prices), 'Börsengang' (IPO). It often symbolizes the capital market or the economic situation. Example: Die globale Wirtschaft beeinflusst die Börsen weltweit. (The global economy influences stock markets worldwide.)
• Everyday Context (Meaning 2): As a 'purse' or 'wallet', the term 'Börse' alone is less common today. You might find it in older texts or specific regions. In modern German, 'das Portemonnaie' or 'die Geldbörse' are preferred. Example: In seiner alten Börse waren nur wenige Münzen. (There were only a few coins in his old purse.) You would usually say 'Geldbörse' here.

Important Compounds (Wichtige Komposita):

• Wertpapierbörse (securities exchange), Aktienbörse (stock exchange), Terminbörse (futures exchange), Devisenbörse (foreign exchange market)
• Börsenmakler (stockbroker), Börsenkurs (stock price), Börsenbericht (market report), Börsencrash (stock market crash)
• Geldbörse (purse/wallet)

🧠 Memory Aids for 'die Börse'

For the Article 'die': Think of die Finanzwelt (the financial world) or maybe die Spekulation (the speculation) – concepts associated with the stock market that are grammatically feminine in German, just like die Börse. Or picture die Geldbörse (the purse) itself – the compound word keeps the feminine article.

For the Meaning: Imagine the stock market where prices constantly 'burst' up or down ('Börse' sounds a bit like 'burst'). Or, link it to its origin: a 'burse', which is an old word for a leather pouch or purse.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms for 'die Börse'

⚠️ Similar Sounding Words

• Die Bürste: Sounds similar but means 'brush'. Don't mix them up!
• Der Bursche: Means 'lad' or 'fellow'.

😄 A Little Joke

Zwei Börsenmakler treffen sich. Fragt der eine: „Wie konntest du heute Nacht nur schlafen? Die Kurse sind doch im Keller!“ Sagt der andere: „Ich schlafe wie ein Baby – ich wache jede Stunde auf und weine.“

(Translation: Two stockbrokers meet. One asks: “How could you sleep last night? The stock prices plummeted!” The other replies: “I sleep like a baby – I wake up every hour and cry.”)

✍️ Poem about 'die Börse'

An der Börse, laut und wild,
Wird das Schicksal oft gespielt.
Kurse tanzen, auf und nieder,
Hört man Bullen-, Bärenlieder.
Hoffnung, Gier und Angst zugleich,
Macht mal arm, macht manchmal reich.

(Translation):
At the stock exchange, loud and wild,
Destiny is often styled.
Prices dance, both up and down,
Hear the bull and bear resound.
Hope and greed and fear reside,
Makes one poor or rich inside.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich habe Aktien, doch bin kein Baum mit Ast.
Ich habe Kurse, doch biete keine Rast.
Mal bin ich Bulle, mal bin ich Bär,
Bring Freude oder Sorgen schwer.

Was bin ich?
(... Die Börse / The Stock Exchange)

---

I hold your cash, your cards, your coin,
But have no bank where you can join.
You keep me close when out you roam,
Much smaller than your saving-home.

What am I?
(... Die Börse / The Purse/Wallet)

🧐 Additional Information

Etymology (Wortherkunft):

The German word „Börse“ comes from Middle High German burse, borrowed from Old French borse. This derives from Middle Latin bursa, meaning 'leather bag' or 'purse'. The financial meaning likely originated in 15th-century Bruges, Belgium. Merchants regularly met in front of the house of the prominent Van der Beurse family, whose coat of arms featured three purses (bursae). This meeting place became known as 'de buerse', and the name was adopted for similar trading venues in other cities.

Trivia:

• The first official stock exchange is often attributed to Antwerp (1531) or Amsterdam (1611), although organized trading existed earlier.
• In stock market jargon, der „Bulle“ (the bull) symbolizes rising prices (thrusts upwards with its horns), while der „Bär“ (the bear) represents falling prices (swipes downwards with its paw).