die  Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈdʊʁçʃnɪtsɡəˌʃvɪndɪçkaɪt/

🛣️ What does Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit mean?

Die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit is a measure of how fast an object moved on average over a specific period or distance. It is calculated by dividing the total distance covered by the total time taken.

Formula: Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit = Total Distance / Total Time

It's important to note that the Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit is not necessarily the speed at a specific moment (which is called Momentangeschwindigkeit or instantaneous speed). For example, if a car stops and then accelerates again, its Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit over the entire trip will be lower than its maximum speed (Höchstgeschwindigkeit).

The word is feminine, so the article is always die.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit

The noun „Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit“ is feminine. The definite article is „die“.

Example Sentences

1. Die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit des Zuges betrug 120 km/h.
   (The average speed of the train was 120 km/h.)
2. Um die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit zu berechnen, benötigen wir die Gesamtdistanz und die Gesamtzeit.
   (To calculate the average speed, we need the total distance and the total time.)
3. Die Polizei misst oft die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit zwischen zwei Punkten auf der Autobahn.
   (The police often measure the average speed between two points on the highway.)
4. Verglichen mit der letzten Messung ist die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit der Fahrzeuge gesunken.
   (Compared to the last measurement, the average speed of the vehicles has decreased.)

💡 How is Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit used?

The term Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit is used in various contexts:

• Verkehr & Transport (Traffic & Transport): To state the average speed of vehicles on a route, for planning travel times, or monitoring traffic flow (e.g., in traffic reports).
• Physik & Mathematik (Physics & Mathematics): As a fundamental concept for describing motion.
• Sport (Sports): To analyze the performance of athletes, e.g., the Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit of a runner or cyclist over a distance.
• Datenanalyse (Data Analysis): Figuratively also for average rates, e.g., the average download speed (durchschnittliche Download-Geschwindigkeit).

It helps evaluate an overall performance or process by smoothing out short-term fluctuations (like stopping or accelerating) and providing a mean value.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

1. Remembering the Article: The base word is "die Geschwindigkeit" (speed), which is feminine. Compound nouns in German usually take the gender of the last part. So, since Geschwindigkeit is 'die', die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit is also 'die'. Think: Speed (Geschwindigkeit) itself feels dynamic like 'she' (die) runs fast.

2. Remembering the Meaning: Break it down: "Durchschnitt" means average (think 'cut through' the data for an average slice), and "Geschwindigkeit" means speed. So, it literally means 'average speed'. Imagine driving through (durch) traffic, cutting (Schnitt) an average path to find your overall speed (Geschwindigkeit).

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Don't confuse with Geschwindigkeitsdurchschnitt, which is often used synonymously but can sometimes mean the average of several measured speeds (e.g., from different vehicles).

😂 A Little Joke

German: Frage: Was ist die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit einer Schnecke auf der Autobahn? Antwort: Schwer zu sagen, sie wechselt ständig die Spur, um die schnelleren Autos vorbeizulassen!

English: Question: What's the average speed of a snail on the highway? Answer: Hard to say, it's constantly changing lanes to let the faster cars pass!

📜 Poem about Speed

German:
Von A nach B, die Zeit verrinnt,
Mal schnell, mal langsam, wie der Wind.
Kilometer zählen, Stunde um Stund',
Am Ende zählt auf dem Rund:
Gesamt die Strecke, Zeit total,
Geteilt ergibt's, ganz pauschal,
Nicht Spitze, nicht im Schneckentempo,
Die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit, ebenso!

English Translation:
From A to B, time passes by,
Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, like wind in the sky.
Kilometers count, hour by hour's sound,
In the end, what matters on the round:
Total the distance, total time's call,
Divided gives, summed up for all,
Not peak speed, nor a snail's slow flow,
The average speed, just so!

❓ Little Riddle

German:
Ich messe nicht den schnellsten Sprint,
Auch nicht, wie langsam man beginnt.
Ich nehm' die ganze Reisestrecke
Und teil' sie durch die Zeit, die wecke
Den Mittelwert für deine Fahrt.
Wie heiß' ich, klug und wohlgeartet?

English:
I don't measure the fastest sprint,
Nor how slowly you begin, hint hint.
I take the whole journey's track
And divide by the time, there's no turning back,
To find the mean value for your ride.
What am I called, with wisdom as my guide?

Solution: Die Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit (Average speed)

🧩 Word Components and Other Info

The word „Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit“ is a compound noun (Kompositum), composed of:

• Durchschnitt: The average or mean value.
• -s-: A linking 's' (Fugen-s), often used between nouns in German compounds.
• Geschwindigkeit: Speed or velocity (distance per unit of time).

It's a long but very precise word, typical of the German language's ability to form specific concepts through composition.