die  Kooperation

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/koˌoːpəʁaˈt͡si̯oːn/

🤝 What does "die Kooperation" mean?

Die Kooperation (noun, feminine) describes the cooperation or collaboration of individuals, groups, or institutions to achieve a common goal. It implies joint action on a voluntary basis, often for mutual benefit.

There is only this one meaning associated with the article "die". The focus is on the process of working together.

• Example: Die Kooperation zwischen den beiden Unternehmen war sehr erfolgreich. (The cooperation between the two companies was very successful.)

📚 Grammar Corner: Die Kooperation

"Kooperation" is a feminine noun. The article is die. Nouns ending in -tion are almost always feminine in German.

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der Erfolg des Projekts hängt von einer guten Kooperation ab. (The success of the project depends on good cooperation.)
2. Wir schätzen die Kooperation mit unseren Partnern sehr. (We greatly appreciate the cooperation with our partners.)
3. Im Geiste der Kooperation wurde eine Einigung erzielt. (In the spirit of cooperation, an agreement was reached.)
4. Internationale Kooperationen sind für die Forschung unerlässlich. (International cooperations are essential for research.)

🗣️ Usage and Context

"Kooperation" is frequently used in formal and professional contexts, such as:

• Business: Kooperation between companies (joint ventures, strategic alliances).
• Politics: Internationale Kooperation (international cooperation), collaboration between political parties.
• Science: Forschungskooperationen (research collaborations) between universities or institutes.
• Education: Kooperation between schools and parents or companies.
• Everyday life: Also in private settings, e.g., Kooperation in a shared apartment (WG - Wohngemeinschaft).

Difference to "Zusammenarbeit": "Kooperation" and "Zusammenarbeit" are often synonymous. However, "Kooperation" can sometimes denote a more formal, structured form of working together, while "Zusammenarbeit" might be slightly more general. The difference is subtle and context-dependent.

⚠️ Avoid confusing "Kooperation" with "Kollaboration", although the meaning is very similar. "Kollaboration" sometimes carries negative connotations (e.g., collaboration with the enemy), but in modern usage, it is often used neutrally for intensive cooperation.

🧠 Mnemonics for Kooperation

For the article 'die': Remember that words ending in -tion in German are almost always feminine (die Aktion, die Nation, die Information... and thus die Kooperation). Think of an operation (also 'die' in German when referring to surgery, *die Operation*), which often requires cooperation to succeed.

For the meaning: Break it down: Ko- means 'together' (like in *co-pilot*) and Operation relates to 'action' or 'working'. So: working together = Kooperation.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

Similar but potentially misleading words:

• Koordination: Refers to coordinating actions (coordination), but isn't the same as the cooperation itself.
• Korporation: Means a corporation or large company.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum ist Kooperation in der Bäckerei so wichtig?

Damit nicht jeder sein eigenes Süppchen kocht, sondern alle gemeinsam den Teig kneten!

(Why is cooperation in the bakery so important? – So that not everyone cooks their own little soup [idiom for doing things alone], but everyone kneads the dough together!)

📜 Poem about Kooperation

Nicht allein, im stillen Raum,
Wächst oft nur ein kleiner Traum.
Doch Hand in Hand, mit Mut und Kraft,
Wird Großes durch Kooperation geschafft.

Zwei Köpfe mehr, vier Hände schnell,
So wird die Arbeit froh und hell.
Gemeinsam stark, das Ziel im Blick,
So bringt die Partnerschaft das Glück.

(Not alone, in a quiet room,
Often only a small dream grows.
But hand in hand, with courage and strength,
Great things are achieved through cooperation.

Two heads more, four hands fast,
Thus the work becomes joyful and bright.
Strong together, the goal in sight,
So partnership brings delight.)

❓ Riddle

Ich bin kein Zwang, doch oft ein Pakt,
Ich wachse, wenn man Hände hakt.
Im Team, im Staat, im großen Plan,
Bring ich gemeinsam uns voran.

Was bin ich? ... Die Kooperation

(I am not force, yet often a pact,
I grow when hands are linked intact.
In teams, in states, in schemes so grand,
I move us forward, hand in hand.

What am I?
... Cooperation / Die Kooperation)

✨ More Interesting Facts

Word Origin: The word "Kooperation" comes from the Late Latin cooperatio, meaning "working together". It is composed of co- ("with", "together") and operari ("to work", "to operate").

Compound Nouns: Kooperation is often part of compound nouns:

• Kooperationspartner: Cooperation partner.
• Kooperationsvertrag: Cooperation agreement/contract.
• Kooperationsbereitschaft: Willingness to cooperate.
• Forschungskooperation: Research cooperation/collaboration.