die  Gewichtung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈvɪçtʊŋ/

⚖️ What does "die Gewichtung" mean?

Die Gewichtung describes the process or result of assigning significance, importance, or influence to different factors, elements, or aspects within a system, analysis, or decision.

It's about determining how strongly individual parts should be considered in relation to the whole. You 'weight' something (man gewichtet etwas) to set priorities or enable fair comparisons.

Examples of application areas:

• Statistical analyses (e.g., gewichteter Durchschnitt - weighted average)
• Decision-making (e.g., Kriterien gewichten - weighting criteria)
• Evaluation systems (e.g., Notengewichtung - grade weighting)
• Finance (e.g., Portfolio-Gewichtung - portfolio weighting)

🚨 Since the word ends in "-ung", it is feminine and takes the article "die". There are no other articles or meanings for this word.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📚 Grammar Spotlight: die Gewichtung

The noun "Gewichtung" is feminine.

Declension:

Example Sentences

1. Die Gewichtung der einzelnen Kriterien ist entscheidend für das Ergebnis. (The weighting of the individual criteria is crucial for the result.)
2. Bei der Berechnung des Index spielt die Gewichtung der Aktien eine große Rolle. (In calculating the index, the weighting of the stocks plays a major role.)
3. Wir müssen über die Gewichtungen der verschiedenen Aufgaben im Projekt sprechen. (We need to talk about the weightings of the different tasks in the project.)

💡 Practical Use: When to use "die Gewichtung"?

The term "Gewichtung" is used whenever it's necessary to determine or adjust the relative importance or influence of something.

• In statistics and mathematics: One speaks of a Gewichtung of data points, for example, to compensate for measurement inaccuracies or to give certain values more influence (gewichteter Mittelwert - weighted mean).
• In decision-making: Before making a choice, one can perform a Gewichtung of pros and cons or different options. Welches Kriterium wiegt am schwersten? (Which criterion carries the most weight?)
• In finance: The Gewichtung of asset classes (stocks, bonds, etc.) in a portfolio determines its risk and return profile.
• In education: The Gewichtung of exams, oral participation, and homework influences the final grade (die Endnote).

Potential for confusion? Sometimes "Wichtung" is used synonymously, although "Gewichtung" is more common. It must be clearly distinguished from the physical "Gewicht" (the mass of an object), although it is metaphorically derived from it.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Remembering the Article: Almost all German nouns ending in "-ung" (like Rechnung, Bedeutung, Hoffnung) are feminine. So, the endung tells you it's die Gewichtung.

Remembering the Meaning: Think of physical Gewicht (weight) on a scale. With Gewichtung, you are metaphorically putting more or less 'weight' on one side (a factor) to show its importance.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Note: "Gewicht" (physical weight) is not a synonym, but the linguistic root.

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Lehrer: "Welche Note hat bei der Zeugnisberechnung die größte Gewichtung?"
Antwortet Fritzchen: "Die Unterschrift der Eltern!"

Teacher asks: "Which grade carries the most weight when calculating the report card?"
Little Fritz answers: "The parents' signature!"

📜 A Little Poem

Die Welt ist voller Zahlen, Fakten, Streit,
Entscheidungen zu treffen, weit und breit.
Doch was ist wichtig, was nur Tand?
Die Gewichtung nimmt's in die Hand.
Sie misst den Wert, den Einfluss klar,
Macht Ordnung, wo Verwirrung war.

The world is full of numbers, facts, dispute,
Decisions to be made, both far and astute.
But what's important, what's mere frill?
The Gewichtung takes it up with skill.
It measures value, influence clear,
Brings order where confusion's near.

🤔 Riddle Time

Ich habe kein Kilo, doch gebe an Wert,
entscheide, was wichtig, was wenig begehrt.
In Noten und Zahlen, da spiele ich mit,
ich ordne die Dinge, Schritt für Schritt.

Was bin ich? ... Die Gewichtung

I have no kilo, yet I assign value,
Decide what's important, what's less desired too.
In grades and numbers, I play my part,
I organize things, right from the start.

What am I?
... Die Gewichtung (Weighting)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word "Gewichtung" is derived from the verb "gewichten" (to weight, to assign importance). This verb, in turn, comes from the noun "Gewicht" (weight).

• Gewicht: Originally physical mass.
• -ung: A common suffix used to form nouns from verbs, often denoting a process or its result.

Cultural Context: The concept of Gewichtung is deeply embedded in analytical and rational thinking, especially in science (Wissenschaft), business (Wirtschaft), and technology (Technik), where objective criteria and measurable influences are important.