die
Kabine
🚪 What exactly is a Kabine?
Die Kabine (noun, feminine) generally refers to a small, enclosed room. Depending on the context, it can mean different things:
- On ships or airplanes: A small room for passengers or crew (similar to a Kajüte or cabin). 🚢✈️
- In vehicles: The driver's compartment or operator's station, e.g., in cranes or trucks (Fahrerkabine). 🚚
- Public places: A small booth or cubicle for a specific purpose, e.g., a Telefonkabine (phone booth, although rare now ☎️), a Wahlkabine (voting booth) 🗳️, or a Duschkabine (shower cubicle) 🚿.
- Sports: An Umkleidekabine (changing room). ⚽️
So, it usually describes a functional, often compact space that provides privacy or a specific working environment.
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 of 'die Kabine'
The word "Kabine" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always die.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Kabine |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Kabine |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Kabine |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Kabine |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kabinen |
| Genitive | der | Kabinen |
| Dative | den | Kabinen |
| Accusative | die | Kabinen |
Example Sentences
- Die Kabine auf dem Kreuzfahrtschiff war überraschend geräumig. (The cabin on the cruise ship was surprisingly spacious.)
- Der Kranführer sitzt den ganzen Tag in seiner Kabine. (The crane operator sits in his cabin all day.)
- Ich ziehe mich schnell in der Umkleidekabine um. (I'm quickly changing in the changing room.)
- Bitte betreten Sie die Wahlkabine einzeln. (Please enter the voting booth one at a time.)
🚀 When to use 'die Kabine'?
"Die Kabine" is used whenever referring to a small, separate room. The specific type of room often becomes clear from the context:
- Travel context: Schiffskabine (ship cabin), Flugzeugkabine (airplane cabin - often means the passenger area, but can also refer to the cockpit).
- Work context: Fahrerkabine (driver's cab - truck, crane, excavator), Sprecherkabine (speaker's booth - radio, studio).
- Everyday context: Telefonkabine (phone booth - outdated), Duschkabine (shower cubicle), Umkleidekabine (changing room), Wahlkabine (voting booth).
Compared to "Raum" (room/space) or "Zimmer" (room, typically in a building), "Kabine" usually implies a smaller size and a more specific function. A "Kammer" (chamber) is similarly small but often sounds older or simpler. A "Zelle" (cell) can be similar but often has a negative connotation (Gefängniszelle - prison cell) or refers to biological structures.
🧠 Mnemonics for Kabine
Article Mnemonic: Many specific, often smaller enclosed spaces in German are feminine (die). Think of die Wand (wall), die Tür (door) enclosing die Kabine. It's a designated, functional space - like die Funktion itself.
Meaning Mnemonic: The word sounds very similar to the English word "cabin". Just picture a small cabin, maybe on a ship or a simple booth – that's die Kabine.
🔁 Similar & Opposite: Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Kajüte: Specifically a cabin/bunk on a ship.
- Zelle: Small room, sometimes neutral (Wahlzelle - voting cell/booth), often negative (Gefängniszelle - prison cell).
- Kammer: Small, often simple room, sometimes old-fashioned (chamber).
- Umkleide: Short for Umkleidekabine (changing room).
- Box: Sometimes used for partitioned areas (e.g., Duschbox - shower stall).
- Führerhaus/Fahrerhaus: Specifically the driver's cab in vehicles.
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Saal: Large hall for events (hall, ballroom).
- Halle: Very large, often high-ceilinged space (e.g., sports hall, station concourse).
- Freifläche: Open area without partitions.
- Großraumbüro: Open-plan office.
⚠️ Caution: Not every "Zelle" or "Kammer" is a "Kabine". Context is key!
😄 A little joke about the Kabine
Kapitän: "Na, wie gefällt Ihnen die Kabine?"
Matrose: "Ganz gut, Herr Kapitän, aber warum hängt die Seekarte im Bad über der Dusche?"
Kapitän: "Das ist keine Seekarte, Junge, das ist der Duschvorhang!"
Translation:
Captain: "Well, how do you like the cabin?"
Sailor: "It's quite alright, Captain, but why is the nautical chart hanging in the bathroom above the shower?"
Captain: "That's not a nautical chart, son, that's the shower curtain!" 😂
✍️ Poem about the Kabine
Ob Schiff, ob Kran, ob Wahl, ob Sport,
die Kabine ist ein kleiner Ort.
Mal zum Steuern, mal zum Ruh'n,
mal um sich schnell frisch zu tun.
Auf engstem Raum, doch zweckgemäß,
die kleine Welt, die man nicht verlässt,
bevor die Tür sich wieder öffnet weit,
für die nächste Aufgabe bereit.
Translation:
Be it ship, or crane, or vote, or sport,
the cabin/booth is a little fort (place).
Sometimes to steer, sometimes to rest,
sometimes to quickly do one's best (freshen up).
In tightest space, but functional,
the little world, not optional,
until the door opens wide again,
ready for the next task then.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich bin klein und biete Schutz,
mal auf See, mal gegen Schmutz.
Im LKW fahr ich voran,
im Stadion zieht man sich in mir um dann.
Was bin ich?
Translation:
I am small and offer protection,
sometimes at sea, sometimes against dirt's collection.
In a truck, I lead the way,
in the stadium, people change in me for play.
What am I?
Lösung/Solution: die Kabine
💡 Other Interesting Facts
Etymology: The German word "Kabine" comes from the French cabine, which in turn derives from cabane ("hut" or "cabin"). The diminutive nature already hints at the small size.
Compound Nouns: "Kabine" is often part of compound nouns (Komposita) that clarify its purpose:
- Telefonkabine (phone booth)
- Umkleidekabine (changing room)
- Schlafkabine (sleeping cabin)
- Duschkabine (shower cubicle)
- Wahlkabine (voting booth)
- Fahrerkabine (driver's cab)
- Krankabine (crane cabin)
- Passagierkabine (passenger cabin)
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kabine?
The German word "Kabine" is always feminine. Therefore, the correct article is consistently "die". It refers to a small, enclosed room with a specific function (e.g., on ships, in vehicles, as a changing room).