die
Ladung
🚚 What Does "die Ladung" Mean?
The word die Ladung is a feminine noun in German and has several meanings:
- Cargo/Load: The amount of goods being transported. Example: Der LKW hatte eine schwere Ladung Holz geladen. (The truck had loaded a heavy load of wood.) 🪵
- Electric Charge: The physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. Example: Die elektrische Ladung eines Elektrons ist negativ. (The electric charge of an electron is negative.) ⚡️
- Summons (legal): An official order to appear before a court or authority. Example: Er erhielt eine Ladung als Zeuge. (He received a summons as a witness.) ⚖️
- Charge (ammunition/propellant): The amount of gunpowder or explosive in a cartridge or shell. Example: Die Kanone benötigte eine neue Ladung Pulver. (The cannon needed a new charge of powder.) 💣
⚠️ Pay attention to the context to understand the correct meaning!
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ung → always feminine.
There are many -ung words, we won't list them all. There are only a few exceptions.
🧐 Grammar of "die Ladung" Explained
"Die Ladung" is a feminine noun. Most nouns ending in -ung in German are feminine.
Singular Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Ladung |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Ladung |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Ladung |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Ladung |
Plural Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Ladungen |
| Genitive | der | Ladungen |
| Dative | den | Ladungen |
| Accusative | die | Ladungen |
📝 Example Sentences
- (Transport) Die Ladung des Schiffes bestand aus Containern.
The ship's cargo consisted of containers. - (Electricity) Die Batterie hat ihre Ladung verloren.
The battery has lost its charge. - (Law) Sie ignorierte die Ladung zum Gerichtstermin.
She ignored the summons to the court date. - (Ammunition) Der Soldat prüfte die Ladung seines Gewehrs.
The soldier checked the charge/load of his rifle.
💡 How to Use "die Ladung"
The use of "die Ladung" heavily depends on the context:
- In transport, you talk about the 'Ladung' of a vehicle or ship (e.g., "Die Ladung sichern" - to secure the load).
- In physics and electrical engineering, 'Ladung' refers to electric charge (e.g., "positive/negative Ladung" - positive/negative charge, "Ladungsträger" - charge carriers).
- In the legal system, 'Ladung' means the formal summons to appear (often as "gerichtliche Ladung" - court summons or "Vorladung" - summons).
- In a military or technical context, it refers to propellant charges or explosive charges.
The verb related to "Ladung" is laden (e.g., "einen LKW laden" - to load a truck, "ein Handy laden" - to charge a phone, "jemanden vorladen" - to summon someone, "ein Gewehr laden" - to load a rifle), which also covers the various fields of meaning.
🧠 Mnemonics for "die Ladung"
- For the article: Words ending in -ung are almost always feminine, so it's die Ladung. Imagine a lady (die Dame) struggling with a heavy load (-ung). 👜
- For the meanings: Think of loading up various things: a truck gets a heavy load (cargo), a battery gets its charge (electric), a letter arrives with a court summons (legal charge), and a cannon gets its powder charge (ammunition). All these are types of 'Ladung'. 🚚🔋⚖️💣
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- (Cargo): die Fracht, das Frachtgut, die Fuhre, die Lieferung (freight, cargo, load, delivery)
- (Electric Charge): die elektrische Ladung, (coll.) der Saft (electric charge, (coll.) juice)
- (Summons): die Vorladung, die Aufforderung, der Bescheid (summons, request, notice)
- (Ammunition): die Treibladung, die Patrone (partly) (propellant charge, cartridge)
Antonyms
- (Cargo): die Entladung (unloading)
- (Electric Charge): die Entladung (discharge)
- (Summons): der Freispruch (indirectly), die Entlassung (acquittal, dismissal)
- (Ammunition): die Entladung (unloading/discharge)
⚠️ Similar Words
Don't confuse "Ladung" with "Laden" (der Laden = the shop; der Laden = the shutter).
😂 A Little Joke
Richter: "Angeklagter, sind Sie geladen?"
Angeklagter: "Nein, nur mein Handy braucht dringend eine Ladung!"
Translation:
Judge: "Defendant, are you charged?" (Note: "geladen sein" can also mean "to be angry/agitated")
Defendant: "No, but my phone desperately needs a charge!"
📜 Poem about Ladung
Die Ladung schwer, der Laster rollt,
hat Holz und Stahl, wie's sein soll.
Die Batterie, voll Saft und Kraft,
die Ladung hält, hat's gut geschafft.
Der Brief kommt an, 'ne ernste Schrift,
'ne Ladung ist's, die Pflicht nun trifft.
So viel steckt drin, im Wort allein,
die Ladung kann vielseitig sein.
Translation:
The load heavy, the truck rolls on,
\Has wood and steel, as it should be done.
\The battery, full of juice and might,
\The charge holds fast, achieved just right.
\The letter arrives, a serious script,
\A summons it is, duty now gripped.
\So much lies within the word alone,
\The 'Ladung' can be variously known.
❓ Riddle
Ich kann schwer auf einem LKW liegen,
oder als Energie durch Drähte fliegen.
Manchmal bring ich dich vor den Richter,
manchmal bin ich im Gewehr-Gelichter.
Was bin ich?
Translation:
I can lie heavy on a truck,
\Or fly as energy through wires, with luck.
\Sometimes I bring you before the judge,
\Sometimes I'm in a rifle's nudge.
What am I?
(Solution: die Ladung)
🧩 Additional Info on Ladung
Word Formation: The word "Ladung" is derived from the verb "laden" (to load, to charge) with the suffix "-ung". This suffix typically forms feminine nouns indicating a process or its result.
Compounds: There are many compound words (Komposita) with "Ladung" that specify the meaning, e.g.:
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Ladung?
The German word "Ladung" is always feminine. The correct article is die Ladung. It has multiple meanings, including cargo/load, electric charge, legal summons, or an ammunition charge.