die
Geburtsstunde
🕰️ What does „die Geburtsstunde“ mean?
The word die Geburtsstunde (feminine) has two main meanings:
- Literal meaning: The exact hour or moment someone is born.
Example: Ihre Geburtsstunde war 14:32 Uhr. (Her hour of birth was 2:32 PM.) - Figurative meaning: The moment when something important begins or is brought into existence; the origin or inception of something.
Example: Das war die Geburtsstunde einer neuen Ära der Technologie. (That was the dawn/birth of a new era of technology.)
It's a compound noun formed from „Geburt“ (birth) and „Stunde“ (hour).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
Time → mostly feminine.
There are many exceptions, e.g. the entire category "Weekdays, months, seasons" (masculine/der).
📜 Grammar in Detail: Die Geburtsstunde
„Geburtsstunde“ is a feminine noun. The article is always die.
Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Geburtsstunde |
| Genitive | der | Geburtsstunde |
| Dative | der | Geburtsstunde |
| Accusative | die | Geburtsstunde |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Geburtsstunden |
| Genitive | der | Geburtsstunden |
| Dative | den | Geburtsstunden |
| Accusative | die | Geburtsstunden |
Example Sentences
- Die genaue Geburtsstunde des Kindes wurde im Krankenhaus dokumentiert. (The child's exact hour of birth was documented in the hospital.) - Literal
- Die Unterzeichnung des Vertrages markierte die Geburtsstunde des neuen Unternehmens. (The signing of the contract marked the birth/inception of the new company.) - Figurative
- Wir feiern nicht nur den Geburtstag, sondern auch die Geburtsstunde. (We celebrate not only the birthday, but also the hour of birth.)
- Historiker diskutieren oft über die wahre Geburtsstunde der Demokratie. (Historians often debate the true birth/dawn of democracy.) - Figurative
🚀 How to use „die Geburtsstunde“?
The usage of die Geburtsstunde depends on the context:
- Literal: Used when referring to the precise time of a person's birth. This is less common in everyday language but might appear in official documents or very detailed narratives.
- Figurative: This meaning is more frequent and often used in historical, political, cultural, or technological contexts to describe the beginning of an important development, idea, movement, or era. It carries a slightly poetic or elevated connotation.
Comparison:
- Anfang/Beginn: More neutral terms for 'start' or 'beginning'. „Die Geburtsstunde“ is more specific and often more emotional or significant.
- Ursprung (origin): Refers more to the source or cause, whereas „Geburtsstunde“ emphasizes the temporal moment of creation.
⚠️ Avoid using „Geburtsstunde“ for mundane, unimportant beginnings, as it's generally reserved for significant events.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
For the article „die“: Think of „die Stunde“ (the hour). Since „Geburtsstunde“ ends in „-stunde“ and „die Stunde“ is feminine, „die Geburtsstunde“ is also feminine.
For the meaning: Imagine a clock (Stunde) stopping precisely at the moment a baby (Geburt) is born or a great idea (birth of an idea) comes into being. That's the crucial moment – the Geburtsstunde (hour of birth/inception).
↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
Similar words (beware of confusion!):
- Geburtstag: Birthday (the anniversary of the birth, not the hour itself).
- Stunde Null: 'Zero hour', often refers to the new beginning after a catastrophe (e.g., after WWII in Germany), which can be a special type of Geburtsstunde but has a different focus.
😄 A Little Joke
Warum sind Uhrmacher bei Geburten so entspannt?
(Why are watchmakers so relaxed during births?)
Weil sie wissen, dass jede Sekunde zählt, aber die Geburtsstunde die wichtigste ist!
(Because they know every second counts, but the Geburtsstunde (hour of birth) is the most important one!)
✍️ A Short Poem
Ein neuer Tag, ein Schrei, ganz zart,
(A new day, a cry, so tender,)
Die Zeit steht still, besonderer Art.
(Time stands still, of a special kind.)
Ein Mensch erwacht, das Licht erblickt,
(A person awakens, beholds the light,)
Die Geburtsstunde, die Welt beglückt.
(The hour of birth, delights the world.)
Auch Ideen, groß und kühn,
(Ideas too, grand and bold,)
Beginnen oft, im Stillen zu blühn.
(Often start to bloom in silence.)
Ein Funke zündet, klar und rein,
(A spark ignites, clear and pure,)
Dies muss die Geburtsstunde sein.
(This must be the hour of inception.)
❓ Little Riddle
Ich bin ein Moment, doch zähl' ich viel,
(I am a moment, yet I count for much,)
Bin Anfangspunkt und hohes Ziel.
(Am starting point and lofty goal.)
Ich komme nur einmal, ganz genau,
(I come just once, precisely so,)
Für Mensch, Projekt und jeden Bau.
(For person, project, and every build.)
Was bin ich?
(What am I?)
Lösung: die Geburtsstunde
(Solution: the hour of birth/inception)
🧩 Other Information
Word Composition:
The word „Geburtsstunde“ is a compound noun, composed of:
- Die Geburt: The act of giving birth or being born.
- Die Stunde: An hour (unit of time) or a specific point in time.
The combination emphasizes the precise moment of beginning or origin.
Cultural Significance:
In many cultures, the exact time of birth is given special significance, for example, for horoscopes in astrology.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Geburtsstunde?
The noun „Geburtsstunde“ is feminine. The correct article is die Geburtsstunde. It is used both literally for the time of birth and figuratively for the beginning of important events or eras.