die  Ekstase

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɛkˈstaːzə/

What does 'die Ekstase' mean? 🤔

Die Ekstase (feminine noun) describes a state of intense enthusiasm, rapture, or trance-like intoxication. It's an intense emotional experience where normal everyday consciousness is transcended. One often feels detached from reality, filled with bliss or spiritual awe.

Imagine:

• A musician completely absorbed in their music.
• A believer having a profound spiritual experience.
• A fan whose favorite team wins at the last second.

All these moments can be described as Ekstase. ⚠️ Be aware: The word is sometimes used exaggeratedly or ironically for strong, but not necessarily transcendent, joy.

Article rules for der, die, and das

Grammar Corner: Die Ekstase 🧐

The word 'Ekstase' is a feminine noun and takes the article die.

Declension:

Singular

Plural

The plural 'die Ekstasen' is rather rare, as Ekstase is often understood as a general state. When used, it refers to individual, repeated ecstatic moments or states.

Example Sentences 📝

1. Die Tänzerin bewegte sich in völliger Ekstase zur Musik.
   (The dancer moved in complete ecstasy to the music.)
2. Nach dem Torjubel befand sich das ganze Stadion in Ekstase.
   (After the goal celebration, the entire stadium was in ecstasy.)
3. Mystiker beschreiben Zustände tiefer spiritueller Ekstase.
   (Mystics describe states of deep spiritual ecstasy.)
4. Seine kreativen Phasen waren oft von Momenten reiner Ekstase begleitet.
   (His creative phases were often accompanied by moments of pure ecstasy.)

How to use 'die Ekstase'? 🎤

The word die Ekstase is used to describe very strong, often overwhelming positive emotional states. The context is crucial:

• Religious/Spiritual Context: Describing mystical experiences, deep connection with the divine.
• Artistic Context: State of complete absorption in creative activity (music, dance, painting). Corresponds closely to the English 'ecstasy' or 'rapture'.
• Emotional Context: Expression of extreme joy, bliss, or enthusiasm (e.g., at sports events, concerts).
• Psychological Context: Describing an altered state of consciousness.

Distinction from similar words:

• Freude (joy): More general, less intense than Ekstase.
• Begeisterung (enthusiasm): Strong positive feeling, but usually without the aspect of loss of control or transcendence.
• Rausch (intoxication, frenzy): Can be caused by substances, often has negative connotations, whereas Ekstase is mostly positive or neutral (though 'Rausch der Sinne' - 'intoxication of the senses' exists).
• Trance: State of reduced awareness of the outside world, can be part of an Ekstase, but is not the same.

Common phrases are „in Ekstase geraten“ (to fall into ecstasy), „in Ekstase sein“ (to be in ecstasy), or „jemanden in Ekstase versetzen“ (to send someone into ecstasy).

Remembering 'die Ekstase' 🧠

Mnemonic for the article 'die':

Think: She is in Ecstasy! The feminine pronoun 'She' helps remember the feminine article 'die' for Ekstase. Also, many German nouns ending in '-ase' are feminine (die Oase - oasis, die Phase - phase).

Mnemonic for the meaning:

Think of 'exit-stasis' - 'standing outside' oneself. You are outside your normal state, in a state of intense emotion or rapture. The 'X' sound in Extase can remind you of something extreme.

Synonyms & Antonyms 🔄

Watch out for confusion:

Exzess: (Excess) Means going too far, indulgence, often negative. Ekstase can be part of an Exzess, but it primarily refers to the emotional state.

A Little Chuckle about Ekstase 😂

Psychiater: „Wann haben Sie das letzte Mal einen Zustand reiner Ekstase erlebt?“
Patient: „Gestern Abend, als ich endlich das WLAN-Passwort vom Nachbarn geknackt habe!“

Translation:
Psychiatrist: "When was the last time you experienced a state of pure ecstasy?"
Patient: "Last night, when I finally cracked the neighbor's Wi-Fi password!"

Poetic Ecstasy 📜

Ein Funke zündet, hell und klar,
Die Welt versinkt, wird sonderbar.
Ein Rausch der Sinne, leicht und frei,
Das Herz schlägt wild, der Geist dabei.
Vergessen Zeit, vergessen Raum,
Die Ekstase, ein wacher Traum.
Ein Augenblick, der ewig scheint,
Wo Seele lacht und nicht mehr weint.

Translation:
A spark ignites, bright and clear,
The world sinks away, becomes peculiar.
A rush of senses, light and free,
The heart beats wild, the mind in glee.
Forgotten time, forgotten space,
The ecstasy, a waking dream's embrace.
A moment that seems to last forever,
Where the soul laughs and cries no never.

Riddle Time: What am I? 🕵️‍♀️

Ich bin ein Gefühl, so stark und groß,
Lass dich vergessen Alltags Los.
Mal heilig, mal im Jubel rein,
Kann Tanz, Musik, Erleuchtung sein.
Manchmal ein Rausch, der dich erhebt,
Ein Zustand, der die Seele bebt.

Was bin ich?
(What am I?)

Solution: die Ekstase (ecstasy)

Translation of the riddle:
I am a feeling, so strong and grand,
Letting you forget the everyday demand.
Sometimes holy, sometimes pure cheer,
Can be dance, music, enlightenment clear.
Sometimes a high that lifts you up,
A state that makes the soul erupt.

Trivia & Origin 🤓

Etymology:

The word Ekstase comes from the Ancient Greek word ἔκστασις (ékstasis), which means 'displacement', 'trance', 'being outside oneself', or literally 'to stand outside'. It is composed of ek- ('out') and stásis ('standing, standstill'). So, it literally describes stepping out of one's normal state or standing outside of oneself.

Cultural Context:

Ecstatic states play an important role in many cultures and religions, often linked to rituals, dance, music, or meditation. They are considered paths to spiritual insight or connection with the divine. Ecstasy is also a recurring theme in art and philosophy, exploring the limits of human experience.