die
Hinrunde
⚽ What does "die Hinrunde" mean?
The word die Hinrunde (feminine) generally refers to the first half of a competition, especially a sports season (e.g., in the German football league, die Fußball-Bundesliga). It's the phase where each team has played against every other team once, before heading into the "Rückrunde" (second half).
Imagine a season like a journey: Die Hinrunde is the path towards the midpoint, the "Rückrunde" is the way back.
🚨 There is only this one article and this primary meaning. Confusion is rare.
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.
🧐 Grammar: How is "die Hinrunde" declined?
"Hinrunde" is a feminine noun. The article is always die.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Hinrunde |
| Genitive | der | Hinrunde |
| Dative | der | Hinrunde |
| Accusative | die | Hinrunde |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Hinrunden |
| Genitive | der | Hinrunden |
| Dative | den | Hinrunden |
| Accusative | die | Hinrunden |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die Mannschaft spielte eine starke Hinrunde.
(The team played a strong first half of the season.) - In der Hinrunde haben wir viele Punkte gesammelt.
(We collected many points in the first half of the season.) - Nach der Hinrunde stand der Verein auf dem ersten Tabellenplatz.
(After the first half of the season, the club was in first place.) - Der Trainer analysierte die gesamte Hinrunde.
(The coach analyzed the entire first half of the season.)
🗣️ How is "die Hinrunde" used?
The term die Hinrunde is almost exclusively used in the context of sports leagues and tournaments that run over a longer period and where participants (usually teams) compete against each other twice.
- Typical Context: Football (soccer), handball, basketball, etc. People talk about the result of the Hinrunde, the league table after the Hinrunde, the best player of the Hinrunde, etc.
- Contrast: The direct opposite is the Rückrunde, the second half of the season. A Vorrunde can sometimes be used synonymously, but often also refers to a preliminary or qualifying round before the main tournament (e.g., in World Cups). Die Hinrunde specifically means the first half of the main competition in a league format.
🧠 Mnemonics for Hinrunde
Article Mnemonic: Think of "die Runde" (the round/lap). A round is feminine in German, so die Hinrunde is also feminine.
Meaning Mnemonic: "Hin" sounds like 'in' - you're going 'in' towards the middle of the season. Or think of 'hin' meaning 'thither' or 'towards' – playing towards the halfway point, before coming back ('Rück') in the Rückrunde.
↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms:
⚠️ Similar, but different words:
😂 A little Joke
Warum war der Fußball nach der Hinrunde so deprimiert?
Er hatte das Gefühl, schon zur Halbzeit völlig rund gemacht worden zu sein!
Translation:
Why was the football so depressed after the first half of the season (Hinrunde)?
He felt like he'd already been completely 'made round' (a pun meaning 'beaten up' or 'exhausted') by halftime!
✍️ Poem about the Hinrunde
Die Liga startet, voller Mut,
jedes Team gibt alles, das tut gut.
Spiel um Spiel, es geht zur Sache,
bis zur Hälfte, keine Schwäche.
Das ist die Hinrunde, klar und rein,
danach muss die Wende sein!
Translation:
The league starts, full of courage,
every team gives its all, that does good.
Game after game, things get serious,
until the halfway point, no weakness.
That is the Hinrunde, clear and pure,
after that, the turnaround must occur!
❓ Riddle Time
Ich bin die erste Hälfte vom großen Spiel,
Bevor die Teams sich treffen, zum zweiten Mal, mit Gefühl.
Im Fußball kennt mich jedes Kind,
wenn der Herbstwind weht geschwind.
Wer bin ich?
Translation:
I am the first half of the big game,
Before the teams meet again, with feeling, just the same.
In football, every child knows my name,
when the autumn wind blows swift like a flame.
Who am I?
Solution: die Hinrunde
🧩 Other Information
Word Composition:
The word "Hinrunde" is composed of:
- hin: A prefix/adverb indicating movement towards a place or goal (as opposed to "her", indicating movement towards the speaker). Here it symbolizes the movement towards the midpoint of the season.
- Runde: A round, phase, or circuit (as in "eine Runde spielen" - to play a round).
The combination thus describes the first round or phase of the competition.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Hinrunde?
The word "Hinrunde" is feminine, so the correct article is die (die Hinrunde, der Hinrunde, ...). It refers to the first half of a sports season or a similar competition.