die
Bohrung
💡 What exactly is a 'Bohrung'?
The German word die Bohrung (feminine) has two main meanings:
- The process of drilling: This refers to the action of making a hole in a material (like wood, metal, rock, or even a tooth). Example: Die Bohrung dauerte nur wenige Sekunden. (The drilling only took a few seconds.)
- The result of drilling (the borehole/hole): This describes the hole or opening itself, created by drilling. Example: Die Bohrung hat einen Durchmesser von 5 Millimetern. (The borehole has a diameter of 5 millimeters.)
Context is crucial here to understand whether the act or the result is meant. ⚠️ Be careful not to confuse 'die Bohrung' (the drilling/borehole) with 'der Bohrer' (the drill bit/drill).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ung → always feminine.
There are many -ung words, we won't list them all. There are only a few exceptions.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Bohrung
The noun die Bohrung is feminine. It declines as follows:
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Bohrung |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Bohrung |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Bohrung |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Bohrung |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Bohrungen |
| Genitive | der | Bohrungen |
| Dative | den | Bohrungen |
| Accusative | die | Bohrungen |
Example Sentences ✍️
- Die Bohrung für den Dübel muss präzise sein. (The borehole for the wall plug must be precise. - Nominative Singular, refers to the hole)
- Während der Bohrung entstand viel Staub. (During the drilling, a lot of dust was created. - Genitive Singular, refers to the process)
- Mit einer tiefen Bohrung sucht man nach Erdöl. (They search for crude oil with a deep drilling/borehole. - Dative Singular, refers to the hole/process)
- Der Handwerker prüft die Bohrung. (The craftsman checks the borehole. - Accusative Singular, refers to the hole)
- Für das Regal benötigen wir mehrere Bohrungen. (We need several drill holes for the shelf. - Accusative Plural, refers to the holes)
🛠️ When and how to use 'Bohrung'?
Die Bohrung is a frequently used term in technical, craft, and geological contexts.
- Crafts & Construction: Here, 'Bohrung' usually refers to the hole needed for screws, wall plugs (Dübel), cables, etc. "Mach bitte eine 8er Bohrung für diesen Dübel." (Please make an 8mm drill hole for this wall plug.)
- Industry & Manufacturing: Präzisionsbohrungen (precision drillings/bores) are essential in metalworking, mechanical engineering, etc. "Die Bohrungen im Motorblock müssen exakt sein." (The bores in the engine block must be exact.)
- Geology & Mining: In this field, one speaks of Bohrungen when searching for resources (oil, gas, geothermal energy) or taking rock samples (Kernbohrung - core drilling). "Die Tiefenbohrung erreichte eine Tiefe von 5000 Metern." (The deep drilling reached a depth of 5000 meters.)
- Medicine (Dentistry): The drilling performed by a dentist is sometimes referred to as a 'Bohrung', although the term 'Präparation' (preparation) is more common. "Die Bohrung am Zahn war unangenehm." (The drilling on the tooth was unpleasant.)
In general, die Bohrung describes either the process of creating a hole with a rotating tool or the resulting hole itself.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Bohrung'
For the article 'die': Almost all German nouns ending in -ung are feminine. Think: The ending '-ung' signals a 'she' - so it's die Bohrung.
For the meaning: Imagine the *boring* task (sounds like Bohrung) of using a drill (der Bohrer) to make a hole. Both the *boring* process and the resulting hole are die Bohrung.
↔️ Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Das Loch: General term for 'hole'.
- Das Bohrloch: More specific, emphasizes the hole created by drilling.
- Die Vertiefung: 'Indentation' or 'depression', usually shallower, not necessarily all the way through.
- Die Perforation: Often a series of small holes (e.g., on paper).
- Die Tiefbohrung: 'Deep drilling', emphasizes significant depth (often geology).
- Der Durchbruch / Die Durchbohrung: 'Breakthrough' / 'piercing', emphasizes drilling completely through something.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
🚨 Potential for Confusion:
- Der Bohrer: The drill bit or the drilling tool itself. Don't mix them up! Die Bohrung is the hole or the action, der Bohrer is the tool.
😂 A Little Drill Joke
German: Fragt der Chef den neuen Lehrling: "Na, wie war dein erster Tag auf der Baustelle?" Lehrling: "Ganz gut, aber der Vorarbeiter hat mich ständig nur Löcher bohren lassen." Chef: "Und, hast du viele geschafft?" Lehrling: "Ja, aber das Schwierigste war, die ganzen Löcher am Ende wieder mitzunehmen!"
English Translation: The boss asks the new apprentice: "So, how was your first day on the construction site?" Apprentice: "Pretty good, but the foreman just had me drilling holes all the time." Boss: "And, did you manage to make many?" Apprentice: "Yes, but the hardest part was picking up all the holes again at the end!"
✒️ Poem about Drilling
German:
Der Bohrer surrt, ein scharfer Zahn,
fängt langsam seine Arbeit an.
Durch Holz und Stein, Metall und Wand,
entsteht geschwind, von Meisterhand,
ein rundes Loch, tief oder klein,
das soll die Bohrung präzise sein.
English Translation:
The drill whirs, a sharp tooth bright,
slowly starts its task with might.
Through wood and stone, metal and wall,
appears quickly, crafted by a master's call,
a round hole, deep or small and fine,
that precise drilling/borehole shall shine.
❓ Riddle Time
German:
Ich werde gemacht, doch bin kein Kuchen.
Manchmal muss man tief in mir suchen.
Ich biete Platz für Schraube, Dübel, Stift,
oder helfe finden, was im Erdreich trifft.
Was bin ich?
(Lösung: die Bohrung)
English Translation:
I am made, but I'm not a cake.
Sometimes you have to search deep in my make.
I offer space for screw, plug, pin,
or help find what lies the earth within.
What am I?
(Solution: die Bohrung / the drilling/borehole)
🧩 Additional Information
Word Composition:
The word Bohrung is a noun derived from the verb bohren (to drill). The suffix -ung is commonly used in German to form nouns from verbs, often describing the process or result of the action. These nouns are almost always feminine (die).
bohr(en) + -ung = die Bohrung
Related Terms:
- Der Bohrer: The drill bit / drilling tool.
- Die Bohrmaschine: The drilling machine.
- Die Bohrinsel: The drilling rig/platform (especially offshore).
- Der Bohrkern: The core sample (from drilling).
- Die Probebohrung: Test drilling / exploratory borehole.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Bohrung?
The word Bohrung is always feminine. The correct article is die Bohrung. It refers to both the act of drilling and the resulting hole or borehole.