die  Kapazität

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/kapaʦiˈtɛːt/

📥 What does "die Kapazität" mean?

The word die Kapazität (feminine) has several meanings, often related to some form of capacity or ability:

• Technical/Physical: The maximum holding ability of a container, space, or system. Example: Die Kapazität des Tanks beträgt 100 Liter. (The capacity of the tank is 100 liters.) Also, the ability of a capacitor to store electric charge.
• Economic/Organizational: The maximum production, performance, or absorption capability of a company, facility, or person. Example: Das Werk arbeitet an seiner vollen Kapazität. (The plant is operating at its full capacity.)
• Personal/Intellectual: The mental or physical capability or talent of a person. Example: Er hat die Kapazität, dieses Problem zu lösen. (He has the capacity to solve this problem.)
• Legal (less common): The legal capacity or contractual capacity of a person (often more specifically referred to as Geschäftsfähigkeit).

⚠️ Be sure to understand the context to grasp the precise meaning.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar of "die Kapazität" in Detail

Die Kapazität is a feminine noun. It is declined as follows:

Example Sentences

1. Die Kapazität des Stadions wurde erweitert. (The capacity of the stadium was expanded.)
2. Wir müssen unsere Produktionskapazitäten erhöhen. (We need to increase our production capacities.)
3. Seine intellektuellen Kapazitäten sind beeindruckend. (His intellectual capacities are impressive.)
4. Der Akku hat nur noch eine geringe Kapazität. (The battery only has low capacity left.)

🌐 How to use "Kapazität"?

Die Kapazität is a versatile word used in various contexts:

• Technology & IT: Very common for storage space (Festplattenkapazität, Speicherkapazität), battery power (Akkukapazität), data transfer rates, or the holding ability of technical devices.
• Business & Production: Describing maximum production volume (Produktionskapazität), utilization of machines or personnel (Auslastung der Kapazitäten), or the absorption capacity of a market.
• Logistics & Transport: Loading capacity of vehicles (Ladekapazität), seating capacity in planes or trains (Sitzplatzkapazität), storage capacity (Lagerkapazität).
• Everyday Life & People: More in a figurative sense for mental or physical performance, rarely for the holding capacity of, e.g., a bag (here, Platz or Raum is more common).

Distinction from similar words:

• Fassungsvermögen: Often synonymous with Kapazität for containers, but emphasizes the physical volume more strongly.
• Leistungsfähigkeit: Emphasizes the potential to achieve a certain performance, whereas Kapazität often describes the absolute maximum.
• Potenzial: Refers to future, not yet fully utilized possibilities or abilities.

🧠 Mnemonics for "Kapazität"

Remembering the Article: Many German nouns ending in -tät (like Universität, Qualität, Realität) are feminine. Think: The reality (die Realität), the quality (die Qualität), the university (die Universität) – all end in -tät, all use "die". The same applies to: die Kapazität.

Remembering the Meaning: Imagine a huge cap (like Kapa) that has the capacity to hold a giant city (sounds like -zität). The cap has a large Kapazität for the city. This image helps visualize holding ability or capacity.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar but different words:

• Quantität: Refers to quantity or amount, not necessarily the maximum or potential.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Haben Sie die Kapazität, diese zusätzliche Aufgabe zu übernehmen?"
Antwortet der Mitarbeiter: "Klar Chef, aber hat mein Gehalt auch die Kapazität, das zu verkraften?"

Translation:
The boss asks the new employee: "Do you have the capacity to take on this additional task?"
The employee replies: "Sure boss, but does my salary also have the capacity to handle it?"

✍️ Poem about Capacity

Die Festplatte voll, der Speicher klein,
die Kapazität ruft laut: "Nein!"
Der Akku leer, die Kraft versiegt,
wenn Leistung an der Grenze liegt.

Im Kopf jedoch, da ist oft mehr,
die geistige Kapazität, bitte sehr!
Sie wächst mit Wissen, Tag für Tag,
was man auch immer lernen mag.

Translation:
The hard drive full, the memory small,
capacity loudly calls: "No!"
The battery empty, power depleted,
when performance at the limit's seated.

But in the mind, there's often more,
the mental capacity, that's for sure!
It grows with knowledge, day by day,
whatever one may learn and say.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich messe, was hinein passt, ganz genau,
bin wichtig für Speicher, Akku und Bau.
Ich kann groß sein oder winzig klein,
bin oft begrenzt, doch kann auch unendlich schein.

Mal geht es um Liter, mal um Watt,
mal um die Frage, wie viel Platz man hat.
Mit "die" steh ich vorn, auf -tät end' ich meist.
Was bin ich wohl, wenn man mich richtig heißt?

Solution: die Kapazität

Translation:
I measure what fits inside, precisely so,
Important for storage, battery, and construction's flow.
I can be large or incredibly small,
Often limited, yet seem infinite to all.

Sometimes it's liters, sometimes it's watts,
Sometimes the question, how much space one's got.
With "die" I stand first, on "-tät" I mostly end.
What am I then, if named correctly, my friend?

Solution: Capacity (die Kapazität)

💡 Other Information

Word Origin: The German word "Kapazität" comes from the Latin word capacitas, meaning "holding capacity" or "capability". It is related to the Latin verb capere, meaning "to take", "to hold", or "to seize".

Compounds: "Kapazität" forms part of many compound nouns (zusammengesetzte Substantive) that specify the context:

• Speicherkapazität (Storage capacity)
• Ladekapazität (Loading capacity / Charging capacity)
• Produktionskapazität (Production capacity)
• Übertragungskapazität (Transmission capacity)
• Sitzplatzkapazität (Seating capacity)
• Gesamtkapazität (Total capacity)
• Marktkapazität (Market capacity)