die  Druckerei

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/dʁʊkəʁaɪ/

🏭 What exactly is a Druckerei?

The German word Druckerei (feminine, article: die) refers to a printing shop, printing press, or printing works – a business or workshop where printed materials like books, newspapers, brochures, posters, or business cards are produced. It's the place where the printing trade is practiced.

There is only this one article, die, for this word. It doesn't have other meanings with different articles. ⚠️ Be careful not to confuse it with 'der Drucker' (the printer - either the person or the machine).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Under the Microscope: Die Druckerei

The word "Druckerei" is a feminine noun. Here is its declension:

📝 Examples in Use

• Ich muss die Flyer zur Druckerei bringen. (I have to take the flyers to the printing shop.)
• Die Qualität dieser Druckerei ist hervorragend. (The quality of this printing press is excellent.)
• Wir arbeiten mit mehreren Druckereien zusammen. (We work together with several printing shops.)

💡 Everyday Application

The term Druckerei is used when talking about the place or company that produces printed materials.

• Context: Business (placing orders), crafts, production.
• Typical Verbs: in die Druckerei gehen/bringen (to go/take to the printing shop), bei der Druckerei bestellen/anfragen (to order/inquire at the printing shop), eine Druckerei beauftragen (to commission a printing shop).
• Distinction: Differentiate 'die Druckerei' (the business/place) from 'der Druck' (the print, the process, or pressure) and 'der Drucker' (the person or the machine).

🧠 Mnemonics for Druckerei

Article Mnemonic: Many German nouns ending in -ei that denote a place of activity, business, or collection are feminine (die Bäckerei - bakery, die Bücherei - library, die Metzgerei - butcher shop). So too: die Druckerei.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine a printery (Druckerei) where lots of paper flies around (Papierei) and everything smells of ink (Farbe riecht) - this helps remember it's the place of printing.

🔄 Similar and Opposing Terms

⚠️ Similar Sounding Words

• Der Drucker: Can be the person who prints, or the device (computer peripheral).
• Der Druck: The result of printing, the process itself, or also pressure/stress.

😄 A Little Printing Joke

Warum hat der Drucker gekündigt?

Er fühlte sich nicht mehr ausgedruckt!

(Why did the printer quit? He didn't feel 'expressed' / 'printed out' anymore! - It's a pun on 'ausdrücken', which means to express, and 'ausdrucken', to print out.)

📜 Poem about the Druckerei

In der Druckerei, da rattert's laut,
Wo Farbe auf Papier vertraut.
Maschinen tanzen ihren Takt,
Haben Flyer und Buch vollbracht.
Mit Walzen, Pressen, groß und klein,
Entsteht der schöne, bunte Schein.
Von morgens früh bis spät zur Nacht,
Wird hier Gedrucktes ausgedacht.

(In the printing shop, it rattles loud,
Where color is trusted onto paper proud.
Machines dance to their beat,
Have flyers and books complete.
With rollers, presses, large and small,
The beautiful, colorful sheen enthralls.
From early morn till late at night,
Printed matter is brought to light.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich habe Pressen, doch kein Obst weit und breit.
Ich mache Abzüge, doch nicht vom Gehalt zur Winterszeit.
Ich bringe Farbe aufs Papier, ganz ohne Malerei.
Wer oder was bin ich wohl? Na klar, die ___?

(I have presses, but no fruit far and wide.
I make prints/deductions, but not from salaries in wintertide.
I bring color to paper, without any painting spree.
Who or what am I? Of course, the ___?)

Solution: Druckerei (printing shop)

🧩 Further Details

Word Composition: The word "Druckerei" is composed of the stem of the verb "drucken" (to print), which is "Druck-", and the suffix "-erei". This suffix often denotes a place where a specific activity or craft is performed (cf. Bäckerei - bakery, Tischlerei - carpentry shop).

Historically: The invention of modern letterpress printing by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450 revolutionized the world and made Druckereien central places for the dissemination of knowledge.