die
Fütterung
🍽️ What does 'die Fütterung' mean?
Die Fütterung (noun, feminine) refers to the process or act of feeding. It's about giving food to a living being – usually animals, but also babies or people in need of care.
Essentially, it's the provision of fodder or food at a specific time or over a period.
- Main meaning: The act of giving food to animals or people.
There are no other articles for this word; it is always die Fütterung.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ung → always feminine.
There are many -ung words, we won't list them all. There are only a few exceptions.
📚 Grammar of 'die Fütterung' in Detail
'Die Fütterung' is a feminine noun. It's mainly used in the singular, but the plural 'die Fütterungen' is possible when referring to multiple separate feeding events.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Fütterung |
| Genitive | der | Fütterung |
| Dative | der | Fütterung |
| Accusative | die | Fütterung |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Fütterungen |
| Genitive | der | Fütterungen |
| Dative | den | Fütterungen |
| Accusative | die | Fütterungen |
Example Sentences:
- Die tägliche Fütterung der Zootiere beginnt um 10 Uhr.
(The daily feeding of the zoo animals starts at 10 AM.) - Bei der Fütterung des Babys muss man geduldig sein.
(You have to be patient when feeding the baby.) - Nach der Fütterung schliefen die Welpen sofort ein.
(After the feeding, the puppies fell asleep immediately.) - Wir haben die Zeiten für die Fütterungen geändert.
(We changed the times for the feedings.)
🗣️ How is 'Fütterung' used?
'Die Fütterung' is mostly used very specifically in the context of animals (Haustiere, Nutztiere, Wildtiere - pets, livestock, wild animals) or infants.
- Animal husbandry: "Die Fütterung der Pferde erfolgt zweimal täglich." (The feeding of the horses takes place twice daily.)
- Baby care: "Die Mutter unterbrach das Gespräch für die Fütterung ihres Kindes." (The mother interrupted the conversation for the feeding of her child.)
- Zoo/Wildlife park: "Die öffentliche Fütterung der Pinguine ist eine Attraktion." (The public feeding of the penguins is an attraction.)
- Technical context: Sometimes used technically for feeding material into a machine, e.g., "die Fütterung der Druckmaschine mit Papier" (the feeding of the printing press with paper), but this is less common and more specific.
It's a rather neutral to factual word. Colloquially, one might rather say "das Füttern" (the gerund 'feeding').
🧠 Mnemonics for Fütterung
Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ung in German are almost always feminine. Remember: The endung makes it feminine -> die Fütterung.
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine giving Futter (fodder/food) to animals. This process is die Fütterung. Picture the act of giving Futter to remember the meaning 'feeding'.
↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Die Ernährung: More general, refers to overall nutrition and digestion.
- Die Verpflegung: Often refers to humans and meals, e.g., at events (catering/boarding).
- Die Nahrungsaufnahme: More of a biological/medical term (food intake).
- Das Füttern: The gerund form of the verb, often interchangeable.
- Die Gabe (von Futter): Slightly more formal (the giving of food).
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Der Entzug (von Nahrung): Withdrawal (of food), deprivation.
- Das Hungernlassen: Actively letting starve.
- Die Fastenzeit: Fasting period (planned abstinence from food, usually for humans).
😂 A Little Joke
Fragt der Bauer den Tierarzt: "Herr Doktor, was fehlt meinem Pferd? Es frisst einfach keine Gurken mehr!"
Tierarzt: "Das ist völlig normal. Welches Pferd frisst schon Gurken?"
Bauer: "Na meins! Bis gestern hat es die Gurken geliebt!"
Tierarzt: "Dann fehlt ihm wohl die richtige Fütterung... mit Hafer!"
--- Translation ---
A farmer asks the vet: "Doctor, what's wrong with my horse? It just won't eat cucumbers anymore!"
Vet: "That's completely normal. What horse eats cucumbers anyway?"
Farmer: "Mine does! It loved cucumbers until yesterday!"
Vet: "Well, then it's probably missing the right feeding... with oats!"
✒️ Poem about Feeding
Die Schüssel klingt, ein froher Ton,
die Katze weiß, es gibt was schon.
Die Fütterung, ein täglich Glück,
für Miez ein lecker Augenblick.
Schnurrend sitzt sie da und wartet,
auf das Mahl, das gleich gestartet.
--- Translation ---
The bowl clinks, a happy sound,
The cat knows, food will soon be found.
The feeding, a daily delight,
For kitty, a tasty moment bright.
Purring she sits and waits with glee,
For the meal that soon will be.
❓ Little Riddle
Ich stille den Hunger, klein und groß,
ob Fisch im Teich, ob Kind im Schoß.
Im Zoo bin ich oft eine Show,
täglich bring ich Tiere froh.
Was bin ich?
--- Translation ---
I satisfy hunger, small and large,
Whether fish in pond, or child in charge.
At the zoo, I'm often a show,
Daily, I make animals glow.
What am I?
(Answer: Die Fütterung / The feeding)
💡 Other Information
Word Formation (Wortbildung):
The word 'Fütterung' is formed by adding the suffix '-ung' to the verb 'füttern' (to feed).
- füttern (verb: to give food) + -ung (suffix forming feminine nouns denoting a process or result) = die Fütterung
Related Terms (Verwandte Begriffe):
- Das Futter: The food/fodder itself that is given.
- Futterautomat: An automatic feeder.
- Fütterungszeit: Feeding time.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Fütterung?
The noun 'Fütterung' is always feminine. The correct article is die. It refers to the act of giving food, usually to animals or babies.
