die  Jagd

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/jaːkt/

🦌 What does "die Jagd" mean?

The German word die Jagd primarily has two meanings:

• The tracking, pursuing, and killing of wild animals: This is the classic meaning, referring to the hunting of animals by *Jäger* (hunters). Example: Die Jagd auf Hirsche beginnt im Herbst. (The hunt for deer begins in autumn.)
• The intensive pursuit or search for someone or something: This meaning is figurative and can refer to people (e.g., a police *Jagd* for criminals) or abstract things (e.g., *die Jagd* for success, *die Jagd* for bargains). Example: Die Polizei machte Jagd auf den flüchtigen Dieb. (The police hunted the fugitive thief.) Die Jagd nach dem besten Angebot kann anstrengend sein. (The hunt for the best offer can be exhausting.)

It always takes the feminine article die. ⚠️ Confusion is rare as the context usually makes the meaning clear.

📖 Grammar in Detail: Die Jagd

The noun "Jagd" is feminine. Here are the declension tables:

📝 Example Sentences

• Die Jagd ist ein altes Handwerk. (Hunting is an old craft.)
• Die Regeln der Jagd sind streng. (The rules of the hunt are strict.)
• Er widmet sich mit Leidenschaft der Jagd. (He devotes himself passionately to hunting.)
• Sie beobachteten die Jagd aus der Ferne. (They watched the hunt from a distance.)
• Früher gab es große königliche Jagden. (In the past, there were large royal hunts.)
• Die Ergebnisse der letzten Jagden wurden veröffentlicht. (The results of the last hunts were published.)
• Bei diesen Jagden wurden viele Tiere erlegt. (Many animals were killed during these hunts.)
• Der Förster organisierte die bevorstehenden Jagden. (The forester organized the upcoming hunts.)

🎯 How to use "die Jagd"?

"Die Jagd" is used in various contexts:

• Hunting/Waidwerk: In the context of killing game (*Jagdsaison* - hunting season, *Jagdrevier* - hunting ground, *auf die Jagd gehen* - to go hunting).
• Pursuit/Chase: When someone or something is being sought or pursued (*die Jagd nach dem Täter* - the hunt for the culprit, *die Jagd nach Informationen* - the hunt for information). This can also be metaphorical (*die Jagd nach dem Glück* - the pursuit of happiness, *die Jagd nach Likes* - the hunt for likes).
• Sport/Leisure: Sometimes used for specific sporting activities (*Schleppjagd zu Pferd* - drag hunting on horseback).

Fixed Expressions:

• auf die Jagd gehen: to go hunting
• Jagd auf jemanden/etwas machen: to hunt someone/something
• jemandem eine Jagd liefern: to pursue someone (often police -> criminal)
• die wilde Jagd: a noisy, chaotic chase or movement; also a term from mythology (the Wild Hunt).

Compared to "Verfolgung" (pursuit), "Jagd" often emphasizes a more active, sometimes more aggressive search or chase.

💡 Mnemonics for "die Jagd"

Article Mnemonic: Think of hunting as a *d*eadly activity or involving tracking *d*eer – the 'd' sound might help you remember *d*ie Jagd. Many related nouns are also feminine: *die Flinte* (shotgun), *die Beute* (prey).

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine someone using a *jag*ged spear for the *Jagd* (hunt). Or think of the English word "jog" - you might jog when you are on a *Jagd* (chase).

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "Jagd"

⚠️ Similar Words:

• Jäger/Jägerin (m./f.): The person who hunts (*hunter*).
• jagen (verb): The act of hunting.

😄 A Little Joke about Jagd

Zwei Jäger treffen sich. Sagt der eine: "Du, ich habe gestern einen Riesenhirsch geschossen!" Fragt der andere: "Hattest du einen Jagdschein?" Antwortet der erste: "Nein, nur einen Gabelstapler, um ihn wegzubringen!"

Translation: Two hunters meet. One says: "Hey, I shot a giant deer yesterday!" The other asks: "Did you have a hunting license (Jagdschein)?" The first replies: "No, just a forklift to take it away!"

📜 Poem about Die Jagd

Im Walde tief, im Morgengrau,
beginnt die Jagd, so leis, so schlau.
Der Jäger pirscht, das Auge wacht,
auf Hirsch und Reh bei stiller Nacht.
Ein Knacken nur, ein Hauch von Wind,
bis er die Spur des Wildes find'.
Mal ist's Verfolgung, mal ein Spiel,
die Jagd hat manches Ziel.

Translation:
In forest deep, in morning grey,
the hunt begins, so sly, quiet way.
The hunter stalks, the eye does watch,
For deer and roe in silent notch.
Just cracking twig, a breath of breeze,
Until the creature's track he sees.
Sometimes pursuit, sometimes a game,
The hunt has many an aim.

🧩 Riddle

Ich kann im Wald stattfinden, leis und sacht,
doch auch in der Stadt, bei Tag und Nacht.
Mal geht es um Tiere, mal um ein Ziel,
manchmal ist's Arbeit, manchmal ein Spiel.
Die Polizei macht sie auf den Dieb geschwind,
der Jäger im Forst das Wild oft find'.

Was bin ich?

Translation:
I can happen in the woods, quiet and soft,
But also in the city, day and night aloft.
Sometimes about animals, sometimes a goal in sight,
Sometimes it's work, sometimes a playful flight.
The police do it quickly onto the thief,
The hunter in the forest often finds the game's relief.

What am I?
(Answer: die Jagd / the hunt/chase)

📌 Other Information about Jagd

• Etymology: The word "Jagd" comes from the Old High German "jagōd" and is related to the verb "jagen" (*to hunt/chase*).
• Compound Words: There are many compound words with "Jagd", e.g., *Jagdhund* (hunting dog), *Jagdgewehr* (hunting rifle), *Jagdschein* (hunting license), *Jagdrevier* (hunting ground), *Jagdunfall* (hunting accident), *Treibjagd* (driven hunt), *Menschenjagd* (manhunt), *Schnäppchenjagd* (bargain hunting).
• Cultural Significance: Hunting (*die Jagd*) has a long cultural and historical tradition in German-speaking countries, ranging from procuring food and being a status symbol to leisure activity and nature conservation.