die  Füllung

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈfʏlʊŋ/

🍩 What exactly is a 'Füllung'?

The word die Füllung (feminine) generally describes something that fills a cavity or forms the inside of something. It has several specific meanings:

• 🍴 Culinary: The mixture used to fill pastries (e.g., cakes, chocolates, doughnuts - Krapfen), roasts, or vegetables. Example: Die Apfelfüllung im Strudel war köstlich. (The apple filling in the strudel was delicious.)
• 🦷 Medical (Dentistry): The material used to close a hole in a tooth (cavity). Also known as a Zahnfüllung or (more old-fashioned) Plombe. Example: Der Zahnarzt machte mir eine neue Füllung. (The dentist gave me a new filling.)
• 🛋️ Technical/Craftsmanship: The material used for stuffing or padding (e.g., for cushions, furniture, insulation). Example: Die Füllung des Kissens besteht aus Federn. (The filling of the cushion consists of feathers.)
• 🧱 Construction: Material for filling gaps or recesses. Example: Die Füllung zwischen den Fachwerkträgern ist aus Lehm. (The filling between the timber frame beams is made of clay.)
• 📜 General: The act of filling or the content itself.

⚠️ Attention: Context is crucial to understand the correct meaning.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: 'Die Füllung' in Detail

Die Füllung is a feminine noun. Like most nouns ending in -ung, it's feminine.

Declension

💡 Example Sentences

1. Culinary: Die Konditorin bereitete verschiedene Füllungen für die Pralinen vor. (The pastry chef prepared various fillings for the chocolates.)
2. Dentistry: Meine alte Füllung ist herausgefallen. (My old filling fell out.)
3. Technical: Für die Isolierung benötigen wir eine spezielle Füllung. (For the insulation, we need a special filling.)
4. General: Die Füllung des Pakets schützte den Inhalt. (The filling of the package protected the contents.)

🗣️ How to use 'die Füllung'?

Die Füllung is a versatile word that appears in various contexts.

• In the culinary field, it's common and refers to the tasty content of foods. You can talk about süße Füllungen (sweet fillings like fruit, cream, chocolate) or herzhafte Füllungen (savory fillings like meat, vegetables, cheese). It corresponds to English 'filling' or 'stuffing'.
• At the dentist's, die Füllung is the standard term for repairing a cavity. Synonyms like Plombe are also used but sound a bit more old-fashioned. This directly translates to 'filling'.
• In crafts and construction, die Füllung refers to materials that fill spaces, whether for padding (Kissenfüllung - cushion filling), insulation (Dämmfüllung - insulation filling), or stabilization (Mauerwerksfüllung - masonry filling). Here, the more specific words Füllmaterial (filling material) or Füllstoff (filler) are often used. This can translate to 'filling', 'padding', or 'filler'.

The plural die Füllungen is used when talking about several different types of fillings (e.g., different chocolate fillings) or multiple individual fillings (e.g., several dental fillings).

Confusion is rare, as the context usually makes the meaning clear.

🧠 Mnemonics for 'Füllung'

Article Mnemonic: The ending "-ung" almost always makes nouns feminine in German. Remember: The ending "-ung" needs the feminine article die! This helps you remember die Füllung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you are filling something (from the verb füllen - to fill). What goes inside is die Füllung – whether it's air in a balloon, cream in a doughnut (Krapfen), or material in a tooth cavity.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

🚨 Watch out, don't confuse!

• Die Fülle: Means abundance or plenty, not the filling material itself. (e.g., eine Fülle an Ideen - an abundance of ideas)

😂 A Little Joke

Warum ist der Donut zum Zahnarzt gegangen?

... Weil er eine neue Füllung brauchte! 🍩

(Why did the donut go to the dentist? ... Because it needed a new filling!)

✒️ Poem about Fillings

Im Kuchen süß, im Zahn ganz klein,
so kann die Füllung nützlich sein.
Mal Schoko, Creme, mal Apfelmus,
dem Krapfen gibt sie süßen Kuss.

Doch auch im Zahn, da sitzt sie fest,
hält Karies stand, besteht den Test.
Ob Kissen, Wand, ob süßer Traum,
die Füllung füllt den leeren Raum.

(Sweet in the cake, quite small in the tooth,
so the filling can be of use.
Sometimes chocolate, cream, sometimes applesauce,
giving the doughnut a sweet kiss, of course.)

(But also in the tooth, it sits tight,
withstands decay, holds up in the light.
Whether cushion, wall, or sweet dream's space,
the filling fills the empty place.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich bin im Kuchen süß und fein,
doch auch im Zahn tu ich hinein.
Mal weich, mal fest, je nach dem Ort,
Was bin ich? Sag das Zauberwort!

(I'm in the cake, sweet and fine,
but also in the tooth, I go inside.
Sometimes soft, sometimes firm, depending on the place,
What am I? Say the magic word!)

Solution: Die Füllung (The filling)

⚙️ Word Origin & More

Word Formation:

The noun die Füllung is derived from the verb füllen (to fill) with the suffix -ung. This suffix is commonly used to form nouns from verbs, denoting the process or result of the action.

• füllen (verb) + -ung (suffix) → die Füllung (noun)

Trivia:

The type of Füllung can vary greatly by region, especially in traditional pastries like Krapfen (also known as Berliner or Pfannkuchen depending on the region). Popular fillings include jam (Marmelade), plum jam (Pflaumenmus), vanilla cream (Vanillecreme), or chocolate (Schokolade).