die  Laune

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈlaʊnə/

😊 What does "die Laune" mean?

Die Laune (noun, feminine) describes a person's current mood, temper, or frame of mind. It can refer to a positive state (gute Laune - good mood) or a negative one (schlechte Laune - bad mood). Sometimes, it also refers to a sudden, often unfounded idea or a whim or caprice.

• Main meaning: mood, temper, current emotional state (e.g., Er hat heute gute Laune. - He is in a good mood today.)
• Secondary meaning: sudden impulse, fancy, whim, caprice (e.g., Sie kaufte das Kleid aus einer Laune heraus. - She bought the dress on a whim.)

⚠️ Remember: "Laune" is always feminine, so it's die Laune.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Deep Dive: Die Laune

The noun "Laune" is feminine. Here is its declension:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Seine gute Laune war ansteckend.
   (His good mood was contagious.)
2. Trotz ihrer schlechten Laune lächelte sie.
   (Despite her bad mood, she smiled.)
3. Gib dich nicht jeder Laune hin!
   (Don't give in to every whim!)
4. Ich kann seine plötzliche Laune nicht verstehen.
   (I can't understand his sudden mood.)
5. Die Launen des Wetters sind unberechenbar.
   (The moods/vagaries of the weather are unpredictable.)
6. Man muss mit den Launen eines Kindes umgehen können.
   (One must be able to deal with the whims/moods of a child.)

🗣️ How to Use "die Laune"

"Die Laune" is a very common word in German for expressing moods.

• Gute/Schlechte Laune haben: This is the most frequent use, meaning 'to be in a good/bad mood'. Example: "Ich habe heute schrecklich schlechte Laune." (I'm in a terribly bad mood today.) or "Sie ist immer gut gelaunt." (She is always in a good mood. - using the adjective 'gelaunt')
• Aus einer Laune heraus: Describes a spontaneous, often impulsive action, meaning 'on a whim'. Example: "Er kündigte seinen Job aus einer Laune heraus." (He quit his job on a whim.)
• Je nach Lust und Laune: Means 'as one pleases', 'at one's own discretion', 'whenever one feels like it'. Example: "Du kannst kommen und gehen, ganz nach Lust und Laune." (You can come and go just as you please.)
• Jemandem die Laune verderben: Means 'to spoil someone's mood'. Example: "Das schlechte Wetter hat mir die Laune verdorben." (The bad weather spoiled my mood.)
• Launen haben: Refers to having changeable or difficult moods, often used for children or as a character trait, meaning 'to be moody' or 'to have moods'. Example: "Sei nachsichtig, er hat manchmal seine Launen." (Be patient, he has his moods sometimes.)

Compared to 'Stimmung' (mood, atmosphere), 'Laune' is often more short-term and can emphasize the aspect of unpredictability or caprice more strongly.

🧠 Memory Aids for "die Laune"

Article Mnemonic: Think of a moody female singer, maybe Madonna? DIE Madonna sometimes has bad Laune (mood). (Feminine people/things often have 'die' in German).

Meaning Mnemonic: Laune sounds a bit like 'lunar' (from Latin 'luna' = moon). Moods, like the moon, can change phases quickly – sometimes bright (good Laune), sometimes dark (bad Laune). Also, acting 'on a whim' (Laune) can seem a bit loony!

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms for Laune

⚠️ Similar Sounding Words:

• Lauge (die): Lye, alkaline solution - completely unrelated!

😂 A Little Joke

German: Frage: Warum war der Besen so gut gelaunt? Antwort: Er hatte einen Kehrausflug gemacht!

English: Question: Why was the broom in such a good mood? Answer: Because it had a 'sweeping' outing! (Play on words: "Kehrausflug" sounds like a fun trip, but "kehren" means to sweep).

✍️ Poem about Laune

Die Laune, die ist sonderbar,
(The mood, it is peculiar,)
Mal himmelhoch, mal unsichtbar.
(Sometimes sky-high, sometimes invisible.)
Mal strahlt sie hell wie Sonnenschein,
(Sometimes it shines bright like sunshine,)
Mal zieht sie grollend bei uns ein.
(Sometimes it moves in grumbling.)
Sie tanzt und springt, ganz ungestillt,
(It dances and jumps, quite untamed,)
Ein flüchtiges Gefühl, oft wild.
(A fleeting feeling, often wild.)
Drum halt sie fest, ist sie mal gut,
(So hold it tight, when it is good,)
Die Laune gibt uns frischen Mut.
(The mood gives us fresh courage.)

❓ Riddle

German:
Ich komme und gehe, wie der Wind,
Bin mal fröhlich, mal schlecht gesinnt.
Man hat mich gut, man hat mich schlecht,
Manchmal handelst du durch mich ungerecht.
Ich bin feminin, das ist doch klar.

Wer bin ich wohl? Na wunderbar!

English Translation:
I come and go, like the wind,
Sometimes I'm cheerful, sometimes ill-inclined.
You can have me good, you can have me bad,
Sometimes through me, you act unjustly, it's sad.
I am feminine, that much is clear.

Who am I then? Oh wonderful, my dear!

... Die Laune (The mood/whim)

💡 More about "Laune"

• Etymology: The word "Laune" likely originates from the Latin word luna meaning "moon". In the past, it was believed that the phases of the moon influenced people's moods (similar to the English word "lunatic").
• Word Formations (Wortbildungen):
  • launisch (adjective): moody, capricious, temperamental
  • launenhaft (adjective): similar to launisch
  • Launenhaftigkeit (noun): moodiness, capriciousness
  • Morgenlaune (noun): morning mood (usually implies a bad mood)
  • Schlechte-Laune-Gesicht (noun, coll.): grumpy face
  • Wetterlaune(n) (noun): vagaries of the weather, changeable weather