die
Fahrplanauskunft
🗺️ What exactly is a Fahrplanauskunft?
The Fahrplanauskunft (feminine, article die) refers to the information about timetables or schedules for public transport (like buses, trains, trams, ferries, etc.). It provides information on departure and arrival times, routes, connections, delays, and possible disruptions.
You can obtain Fahrplanauskunft in various ways:
- 🖥️ Online via websites or apps from transport companies
- 🗣️ In person at an information desk (e.g., at a train station)
- 📞 By phone via service hotlines
- 📄 In printed form as timetable books or notices at stops
It's a central service for anyone wanting to use public transport.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ft/ -schaft → almost always feminine.
All -schaft nouns are feminine, but not all -ft nouns are.
🧐 Grammar: Declining die Fahrplanauskunft
The word 'Fahrplanauskunft' is a feminine noun. The article is die.
Declension Singular
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article | (English Meaning) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die Fahrplanauskunft | eine Fahrplanauskunft | the/a timetable information |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der Fahrplanauskunft | einer Fahrplanauskunft | of the/a timetable information |
| Dative (To whom/What?) | der Fahrplanauskunft | einer Fahrplanauskunft | to/for the/a timetable information |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die Fahrplanauskunft | eine Fahrplanauskunft | the/a timetable information |
Declension Plural
The plural of 'Fahrplanauskunft' is 'Fahrplanauskünfte'.
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article | (English Meaning) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Fahrplanauskünfte | Fahrplanauskünfte | the/timetable information (pl.) |
| Genitive | der Fahrplanauskünfte | Fahrplanauskünfte | of the/timetable information (pl.) |
| Dative | den Fahrplanauskünften | Fahrplanauskünften | to/for the/timetable information (pl.) |
| Accusative | die Fahrplanauskünfte | Fahrplanauskünfte | the/timetable information (pl.) |
Example Sentences
- Die Fahrplanauskunft am Bahnhof war leider geschlossen.
(Unfortunately, the timetable information desk at the station was closed.) - Kannst du mir bitte die Online-Fahrplanauskunft zeigen?
(Can you please show me the online timetable information?) - Dank der Fahrplanauskunft fand ich die schnellste Verbindung.
(Thanks to the timetable information, I found the fastest connection.) - Wir benötigen mehrere Fahrplanauskünfte für unsere Reiseplanung.
(We need multiple timetable inquiries for our travel planning.)
💡 Everyday Use
Fahrplanauskunft is an everyday term for anyone using public transport or planning trips in German-speaking countries. You ask for the Fahrplanauskunft, use an app for the Fahrplanauskunft, or read the Fahrplanauskunft on a notice board.
Context examples:
- Travel planning: "Ich brauche die Fahrplanauskunft für die Zugverbindung nach Berlin." (I need the timetable information for the train connection to Berlin.)
- On the go: "Schau mal schnell in der Fahrplanauskunft-App nach, ob der Bus pünktlich ist." (Quickly check the timetable information app to see if the bus is on time.)
- Getting information: "Wo finde ich hier eine Fahrplanauskunft?" (Where can I find timetable information here?)
Related terms include 'der Fahrplan' (the schedule/timetable itself) and 'die Verbindungsauskunft' (specifically information for a route from A to B). 'Fahrplanauskunft' is the broader term for the service or place providing this information.
🧠 Mnemonics
Article Mnemonic: Information or 'Auskunft' in German often feels like a helpful 'she' giving you guidance. So, remember 'she' gives the Auskunft, making it die Fahrplanauskunft.
Meaning Mnemonic: Break it down: 'Fahrplan' means timetable/schedule, and 'Auskunft' means information. So, Fahrplanauskunft is literally 'timetable information'. Easy!
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Words)
- Fahrplaninformation: Very similar, emphasizes the information aspect.
- Verbindungsauskunft: Focuses on information for a specific journey from A to B.
- Reiseauskunft: Broader term, can include other travel information.
- Fahrplan: (Timetable/Schedule) Refers to the plan itself, but often used colloquially to mean the information service.
Antonyms (Opposite Concepts)
Direct antonyms are rare, but conceptually opposite ideas include:
- Fehlinformation: Misinformation or incorrect details.
- Ungewissheit: Uncertainty (about departure times), the lack of reliable information.
- Fahrplanänderung / Ausfall: Schedule change / Cancellation – events that invalidate the original information.
⚠️ Confusingly Similar Words
- Auskunftei: This refers to a credit reference agency (like Experian or Equifax). It has nothing to do with travel timetables. Don't mix them up!
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt ein Tourist am Bahnhofsschalter: "Entschuldigen Sie, fährt dieser Zug nach Hamburg?"
Der Beamte in der Fahrplanauskunft: "Nein, der fährt auf Schienen."
(A tourist asks at the station counter: "Excuse me, does this train go to Hamburg?"
The official at the timetable information desk: "No, it goes on rails.")
📜 Poem about Timetable Info
Von A nach B, wie komm ich hin?
Die App gefragt, das macht viel Sinn.
Die Fahrplanauskunft, digital,
Zeigt Zeit und Weg, ganz optimal.
Ob Bus, ob Bahn, ob Tram so schnell,
Die Auskunft hilft an jeder Stell'.
Verspätung auch, wird angezeigt,
Damit man pünktlich ist, verzweigt.
(From A to B, how do I get there?
Asked the app, that makes much sense clear.
The timetable info, digital bright,
Shows time and path, just perfectly right.
Whether bus, or train, or tram so fast,
The information helps, meant to last.
Delays as well, are shown to you,
So you arrive on time, it's true.)
❓ Riddle Time
Ich habe keinen Mund, doch gebe Antwort klar,
wann Züge fahren, Busse, Jahr für Jahr.
Digital im Netz, am Schalter auch zuhaus,
wer mich befragt, kennt sich bald besser aus.
Was bin ich?
(I have no mouth, yet give answers clear,
when trains run, buses, year after year.
Digital online, at the counter found,
whoever asks me, knows their way around.
What am I?)
(Answer: Die Fahrplanauskunft / Timetable Information)
✨ Other Information about Fahrplanauskunft
Word Composition
The word 'Fahrplanauskunft' is a compound noun, made up of:
- Der Fahrplan: The timetable or schedule that defines the times and routes of transport.
- Die Auskunft: The information or the place/service that provides information.
Together, they mean: Information about the timetable.
Digitalization
Timetable information (Fahrplanauskunft) has become heavily digitized. While thick printed schedule books (Kursbücher) and counter inquiries were dominant in the past, today online portals and apps (like DB Navigator, Google Maps, local public transport apps) are the most common forms. They often provide real-time information on delays and cancellations.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Fahrplanauskunft?
The correct article for Fahrplanauskunft is die. It is a feminine noun: die Fahrplanauskunft (singular), die Fahrplanauskünfte (plural).