die  Krippe

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈkʁɪpə/

📖 What does "die Krippe" mean?

The word die Krippe (feminine) has several meanings in German:

• 👶 Nursery / Daycare Center: An institution for the care of very young children, usually aged 0 to 3 years. It often precedes Kindergarten.
  Example: Unser Sohn geht seit letzter Woche in die Krippe. (Our son started going to the nursery last week.)
• ✝️ Nativity Scene / Manger Scene: A depiction of the birth of Jesus Christ with figurines (baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, animals, etc.) in a stable, often set up at Christmas.
  Example: Zu Weihnachten bauen wir immer eine Krippe unter dem Tannenbaum auf. (At Christmas, we always set up a nativity scene under the Christmas tree.)
• 🐴 Manger / Trough: A container, usually oblong, from which animals (e.g., horses, cattle) eat. This is the original meaning.
  Example: Der Bauer füllte die Krippe mit frischem Heu. (The farmer filled the trough with fresh hay.)

⚠️ Although all meanings use "die Krippe", the context is crucial to avoid misunderstandings.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Krippe" in Detail

"Krippe" is a feminine noun. The article is die.

📝 Example Sentences

1. (Nursery) Die Erzieherin in der Krippe ist sehr nett.
   (The caregiver in the nursery is very nice.)
2. (Nativity Scene) Die Figuren der Krippe sind handgeschnitzt.
   (The figures of the nativity scene are hand-carved.)
3. (Manger/Trough) Das Pferd frisst aus der Krippe.
   (The horse eats from the manger.)
4. (Nurseries - Plural) In unserer Stadt gibt es viele Krippen.
   (There are many nurseries in our city.)

💡 How to use "die Krippe"?

The usage of "die Krippe" heavily depends on the context:

• Childcare: Here, Krippe specifically refers to care for the youngest children (under 3 years old). You might hear phrases like "in die Krippe gehen" (to go to nursery) or "einen Krippenplatz suchen" (to look for a nursery place). It's important to distinguish this from Kindergarten (usually for ages 3-6), although transitions can be fluid and some facilities offer both.
• Christmas: In a religious or cultural context related to Christmas, it almost always means the Weihnachtskrippe (nativity scene). People talk about "die Krippe aufstellen" (setting up the nativity scene) or the Krippenspiel (nativity play).
• Agriculture/Animals: When talking about animal husbandry, it refers to the Futterkrippe (manger/trough). This is the oldest meaning but less common in everyday conversation than the other two, unless discussing farming or zoos.

The plural "die Krippen" is used for all meanings (multiple nurseries, multiple nativity scenes, multiple troughs).

🧠 Mnemonics for Krippe

For the article "die": Many German nouns ending in -e are feminine – including die Krippe. You could also think of die Wiege (the cradle), where babies lie – similar to a Krippe (both baby Jesus and toddlers).

For the meanings: Imagine a small child (Kinderkrippe - nursery) lying in a simple feeding crate (Futterkrippe - manger/trough), just like the Christmas story tells (Weihnachtskrippe - nativity scene). They all relate to a place where someone or something is cared for or fed.

↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but different words:

• Die Grippe: Sounds similar, but means the flu (influenza). Be careful with pronunciation and spelling!

😄 A little joke

Warum hat das Schaf aufgehört, aus der Krippe zu fressen?
Es hatte keinen Bock mehr!

(Why did the sheep stop eating from the manger/trough?)
(It wasn't in the 'mood' anymore! / It didn't want 'Bock' [male goat/ram] anymore! - This is a pun, as "keinen Bock haben" means "to not be bothered / not feel like it", but "Bock" also means male goat or ram.)

📜 A little poem

Die Krippe klein, im Stall so schlicht,
zeigt uns das Wunder, Weihnachtlicht.
Auch Kinder klein, mit Lachen froh,
sind in der Krippe, irgendwo.
Und Tiere still, am Trog geeint,
die Krippe alle drei vereint.

(The manger small, in stable plain,
shows us the wonder, Christmas reign.
Also children small, with laughter bright,
are in the nursery, day and night.
And animals quiet, at trough reside,
the Krippe joins all three inside.)

🤔 A little riddle

Ich bin ein Ort für die ganz Kleinen,
manchmal steh' ich unter Tannen, feinen.
Auch Tiere essen aus mir gern.
Mal nah bei dir, mal fern.

Was bin ich?

(I am a place for the very little ones,
Sometimes I stand under fine fir trees.
Animals also like to eat from me.
Sometimes near you, sometimes far away.)

(What am I?)

Solution: die Krippe (the nursery / nativity scene / manger)

✨ Other Information

Etymology: The word "Krippe" comes from the Old High German word "krippa", which originally meant a woven feeding basket. The meaning then expanded to include the feeding trough and later the nativity scene and the childcare facility.

Cultural Significance: The Weihnachtskrippe (nativity scene) in particular holds great cultural and religious significance in many Christian-influenced countries and is a central element of Christmas decoration and tradition.