die  Grafschaft

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈɡʁaːfʃaft/

📜 What does "die Grafschaft" mean?

Die Grafschaft (noun, feminine) primarily refers to:

• Historically: The territory or administrative domain ruled by a Graf (Count) or a Gräfin (Countess). It was an administrative unit in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Think of it like an earldom or county.
• Modern usage: In some regions (e.g., Lower Saxony in Germany with the Grafschaft Bentheim), the term is still used for a Landkreis (district) or a similar administrative unit, often for historical reasons. This is similar to how some English counties retain ancient names.
• Figuratively (rare): Can metaphorically refer to a sphere of influence or an area.

The word always takes the article die because it's grammatically feminine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar and Declension of "die Grafschaft"

"Grafschaft" is a feminine noun. Its declension follows the regular pattern for feminine nouns in German.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

📝 Example Sentences

1. Im Mittelalter war die Grafschaft eine wichtige Verwaltungseinheit.
   (In the Middle Ages, the county/earldom was an important administrative unit.)
2. Wir fuhren durch die schöne Grafschaft Bentheim.
   (We drove through the beautiful county of Bentheim.)
3. Die Geschichte der Grafschaft ist gut dokumentiert.
   (The history of the county is well documented.)
4. Er wurde mit einer Grafschaft belehnt.
   (He was enfeoffed with a county.)
5. Viele alte Karten zeigen die Grafschaften des Reiches.
   (Many old maps show the counties of the empire.)

🗺️ How to use "die Grafschaft"?

The term "Grafschaft" is mainly used today in the following contexts:

• Historical Context: When discussing the Middle Ages, the Early Modern period, or feudal structures.
• Geographical Names: For specific modern administrative districts that retain the name for historical reasons (e.g., Landkreis Grafschaft Bentheim in Germany, or referring to English counties).
• Literature and Storytelling: In historical novels or fantasy settings to denote territories.

In modern German administrative law, the terms "Landkreis" or "Kreis" (district) are far more common than "Grafschaft" for current administrative units, apart from the historical exceptions mentioned.

⚠️ Don't confuse "Grafschaft" with similar-sounding feminine nouns ending in "-schaft" like "Botschaft" (embassy/message) or "Herrschaft" (rule/dominion). The meaning of "Grafschaft" is specifically linked to the territory of a Graf (Count).

💡 Mnemonics

For the article (die): Words ending in "-schaft" in German (like Freundschaft - friendship, Wissenschaft - science, Landschaft - landscape) are almost always feminine (die). Remember: Die Gemeinschaft (community) of the Grafen (Counts) has die Grafschaft.

For the meaning: A Graf (Count) rules his Schaft (think of it as his shaft of land or domain) -> die Grafschaft (the county/earldom).

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but different words:

• Graf: The male noble title (Count), ruler of the Grafschaft.
• Gräfin: The female noble title (Countess).
• Botschaft: Embassy or message.

😂 A Little Joke

German: Fragt der Lehrer: "Wer kann mir eine berühmte deutsche Grafschaft nennen?" Meldet sich Fritzchen: "Die Rechenschaft! Die muss mein Papa immer ablegen."

English Translation: The teacher asks: "Who can name a famous German county (Grafschaft)?" Little Fritz raises his hand: "Accountability (Rechenschaft)! My dad always has to render that." (Pun: Rechenschaft sounds a bit like Grafschaft but means accountability/report).

📜 Poem about a Grafschaft

German:
Wo einst der Graf regiert mit Stolz und Recht,
Da liegt das Land, historisch echt.
Die Grafschaft, alt an Mauern, Stein,
Erzählt Geschichten, längst vergang'nen Schein.
Felder und Wälder, Flüsse klar,
Ein Erbe aus der Zeit, die war.

English Translation:
Where once the Count ruled with pride and right,
There lies the land, historically bright.
The county, old in walls of stone,
Tells tales of times long past and flown.
Fields and forests, rivers clear,
A legacy from a bygone year.

❓ Riddle

German:
Ich bin ein Gebiet, oft alt und groß,
Regiert von adligem Schoß.
Mein Name klingt nach Titel, Macht und Land,
Ein Herrscher gab mir einst die Hand.
Manchmal heiß' ich heute noch so,
Obwohl der Herrscher ist anderswo.

Was bin ich?

English Translation:
I am a territory, often old and grand,
Ruled from a noble hand.
My name suggests title, power, and land,
A ruler once gave me his command.
Sometimes I'm still called this today,
Though the ruler is far away.

What am I?

Solution: die Grafschaft (the county/earldom)

➕ Additional Information

• Word Formation: The word "Grafschaft" is composed of the base word "Graf" (Count) and the suffix "-schaft". The suffix "-schaft" forms feminine nouns and often denotes a community, state, condition, or territory (as in Landschaft - landscape, Herrschaft - dominion, Bereitschaft - readiness).
• International Equivalents: English "County", French "Comté", Spanish "Condado", Italian "Contea".
• Historical Significance: Grafschaften (counties/earldoms) were key administrative building blocks in the Holy Roman Empire and other European monarchies.