die
Diagnose
🩺 What Exactly is a 'Diagnose'?
Die Diagnose (noun, feminine) refers to the identification or determination of a physical or mental illness or disorder by a doctor or specialist based on symptoms and examinations. It's the result of a diagnostic process.
In a figurative sense, it can also mean the detailed examination and naming of a problem or condition in other fields (e.g., technology, business), although this is less common.
Example: Der Arzt stellte eine klare Diagnose. (The doctor made a clear diagnosis.)
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 Detective: 'Die Diagnose' Under the Microscope
The word "Diagnose" is a feminine noun. The article is "die".
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (1st case) | die | Diagnose |
| Genitive (2nd case) | der | Diagnose |
| Dative (3rd case) | der | Diagnose |
| Accusative (4th case) | die | Diagnose |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (1st case) | die | Diagnosen |
| Genitive (2nd case) | der | Diagnosen |
| Dative (3rd case) | den | Diagnosen |
| Accusative (4th case) | die | Diagnosen |
📝 Application Examples
- Nach langer Untersuchung erhielt der Patient endlich die Diagnose. (After a long examination, the patient finally received the diagnosis. - Accusative Singular)
- Die Richtigkeit der Diagnose wurde von einem zweiten Arzt bestätigt. (The correctness of the diagnosis was confirmed by a second doctor. - Genitive Singular)
- Dank der Diagnose konnte mit der Behandlung begonnen werden. (Thanks to the diagnosis, treatment could be started. - Dative Singular)
- Viele Krankheiten haben ähnliche Symptome, was die Diagnosen erschwert. (Many diseases have similar symptoms, which complicates the diagnoses. - Accusative Plural)
- Die Entwicklung neuer Diagnoseverfahren ist ein wichtiger Forschungsbereich. (The development of new diagnostic procedures is an important area of research. - Here, 'Diagnose' is part of the compound noun 'Diagnoseverfahren' / diagnostic procedures)
🌐 Where and How: Using 'Die Diagnose'
"Die Diagnose" is predominantly used in a medical context.
- Eine Diagnose stellen: This is the most common collocation, meaning "to make a diagnosis". Example: Der Arzt muss zuerst eine Diagnose stellen, bevor er eine Therapie vorschlagen kann. (The doctor must first make a diagnosis before suggesting a therapy.)
- Eine Diagnose bekommen/erhalten: From the patient's perspective, meaning "to receive a diagnosis". Example: Sie war erleichtert, als sie endlich die Diagnose erhielt. (She was relieved when she finally received the diagnosis.)
- Frühdiagnose: Early diagnosis.
- Fehldiagnose: A misdiagnosis. Example: Eine Fehldiagnose kann schwerwiegende Folgen haben. (A misdiagnosis can have serious consequences.)
- Differentialdiagnose: Differential diagnosis - weighing up different possible diseases causing similar symptoms.
⚠️ Important: Do not confuse "Diagnose" with "Prognose". Die Diagnose names the illness; die Prognose describes the likely course/outcome.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: Many medical terms ending in "-e" (like Anamnese, Therapie, Prognose) are feminine (die). Think: "Die nurse gives die shot after die Diagnose." (The ending '-ose' is often feminine, and rhymes slightly with 'nurse' in English).
Meaning Mnemonic: "Dia-" means "through" or "apart" (like in dialogue) and "-gnose" comes from Greek "gnosis" (knowledge). So, a Diagnose is "knowledge through (examination)".
🔄 Related and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Befund: Finding, result of an examination (often more general).
- Feststellung: Determination, statement of fact.
- Erkennung: Recognition, identification (of a disease).
- Bestimmung: (less common) Determination, definition of a disease.
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Ungewissheit: Uncertainty, state of not knowing the cause.
- Symptom: Symptom (leads to a diagnosis, but isn't the diagnosis itself).
- Verdacht: Suspicion, a guess, not yet a confirmed diagnosis.
- Prognose: Prognosis, forecast of the course of the disease (often follows the diagnosis).
Similar-sounding/confusing words:
- Prognose: As mentioned above, the prediction of the course, not the identification of the illness.
😄 A Little Humor
Patient: "Herr Doktor, wie lautet meine Diagnose?"
Arzt: "Sagen wir es mal so: Wenn Ihr Leben ein Buch wäre, wären wir jetzt auf der letzten Seite des Epilogs."
Patient: "Oh nein! Ist es so schlimm?"
Arzt: "Nein, aber Ihre Schrift ist furchtbar und ich kann kaum etwas erkennen!"
Translation:
Patient: "Doctor, what's my diagnosis?"
Doctor: "Let's put it this way: If your life were a book, we'd now be on the last page of the epilogue."
Patient: "Oh no! Is it that bad?"
Doctor: "No, but your handwriting is terrible and I can barely make anything out!"
✍️ Poem about Diagnosis
Ein Symptom, ein leises Klagen,
der Doktor muss die Antwort wagen.
Er prüft und forscht mit Kennerblick,
löst Stück für Stück das Krankheitsstück.
Dann spricht er klar, die Stirn in Falten,
lässt Wahrheit nun entschlossen walten:
"Ich hab's erkannt, nach Sorg' und Müh',
hier ist sie nun: die Diagnose!"
Translation:
A symptom, a quiet moan,
The doctor must dare the answer shown.
He checks and searches with expert gaze,
Solves piece by piece the illness maze.
Then speaks clearly, forehead creased,
Lets truth now firmly be released:
"I've found it now, after care and plea,
Here it is now: the diagnosis, you see!"
🧩 Little Riddle
Ich bin das Ergebnis von Tests und Fragen,
helfe Ärzten, die Ursach' zu sagen.
Ich benenne das Leid, ob groß oder klein,
doch die Heilung selbst bin ich nicht allein.
Was bin ich?
Translation:
I am the result of tests and questions asked,
Help doctors tell the cause, a task unmasked.
I name the suffering, whether big or small,
But the cure itself, I am not after all.
What am I?
(Solution: die Diagnose / the diagnosis)
💡 Interesting Facts
Word Origin (Etymology): The word "Diagnose" comes from the Greek word διάγνωσις (diágnōsis), meaning "discrimination", "decision", or "knowledge". It is composed of διά (diá) meaning "through", "apart" and γνῶσις (gnōsis) meaning "knowledge", "knowing".
Compound Words (Komposita): Diagnose forms many compound words, e.g., Diagnoseverfahren (diagnostic procedure), Diagnoseinstrument (diagnostic instrument), Fehldiagnose (misdiagnosis), Frühdiagnose (early diagnosis), Selbstdiagnose (self-diagnosis), Differentialdiagnose (differential diagnosis).
Summary: is it der, die or das Diagnose?
The word "Diagnose" is feminine. The correct article is die. So, it's die Diagnose, der Diagnose (Genitive/Dative Singular), die Diagnosen (Nominative/Accusative Plural).