die  Lawine

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/laˈviːnə/

❄️ What does "die Lawine" mean?

Die Lawine is a feminine noun and has two main meanings:

1. A large mass of snow sliding or falling down a mountainside. This is the primary, literal meaning. 🏔️
   Example: Eine gewaltige Lawine donnerte ins Tal. (A huge avalanche thundered into the valley.)
2. In a figurative sense, "die Lawine" describes a sudden, large quantity of something, often something unpleasant or difficult to handle.
   Example: Nach dem Aufruf kam eine Lawine von E-Mails. (After the appeal, an avalanche of emails arrived.) 📧

There are no common mistakes with the article, as "Lawine" is always feminine (die).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Lawine" in Detail

"Lawine" is a feminine noun. The article is always "die".

Example Sentences

• Die Gefahr von Lawinen ist im Winter sehr hoch.
  (The danger of avalanches is very high in winter.)
• Er wurde von einer Lawine aus Papierkram begraben.
  (He was buried under an avalanche of paperwork. - figurative)
• Wir warnten die Skifahrer vor der Lawine.
  (We warned the skiers about the avalanche.)
• Die Rettungskräfte suchen nach Überlebenden der Lawine.
  (The rescue teams are searching for survivors of the avalanche.)

💬 How to use "Lawine"?

The usage of "Lawine" depends on the context:

• Literal: When talking about snow and mountains, "Lawine" refers to the actual mass of snow. This often relates to natural hazards, winter sports, and rescue operations. Typical collocations: eine Lawine löst sich (an avalanche breaks loose), von einer Lawine verschüttet werden (to be buried by an avalanche), Lawinengefahr (avalanche danger), Lawinenwarnung (avalanche warning).
• Figurative: In a figurative sense, "Lawine" is used to describe a sudden flood or overwhelming amount of things (often negative). This can refer to emails, tasks, criticism, applause, etc. Typical collocations: eine Lawine von Anfragen (an avalanche of requests), eine Lawine der Begeisterung (an avalanche of enthusiasm), eine Lawine lostreten (to trigger an avalanche / set something overwhelming in motion).

Distinction: A Schneerutschung (snow slide) is smaller than a Lawine. A Gerölllawine (debris flow/rock avalanche) consists of rocks, not snow.

🧠 Mnemonics for Lawine

Article Mnemonic: Imagine a queen sending down an avalanche - she is female, like "die Lawine". The "e" ending is common for feminine nouns in German.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of "Lava" flowing, but imagine it's snow – a Lawine flows too, either literally as snow or figuratively as a flood of things. Or think of a line of snow coming down - La-line -> Lawine.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

Watch Out!

Sometimes Lawine might be confused with any type of landslide. A Gerölllawine (rock avalanche) or Steinlawine (stone avalanche) is more specific for non-snow slides.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Bergsteiger den anderen: "Hast du die Lawinenwarnung gehört?"
Sagt der andere: "Nein, war wohl zu laut hier oben!"

Translation:
One mountaineer asks the other: "Did you hear the avalanche warning?"
The other says: "No, it was probably too loud up here!"

📜 Poem about the Lawine

Am Hang, so weiß, die Stille trügt,
Ein Knacken leis', die Spannung lügt.
Dann bricht sie los mit Donnerhall,
Die Lawine stürzt ins tiefe Tal.
Erst winzig klein, dann riesengroß,
Reißt alles mit sich, gnadenlos.
Ob Schnee, ob Mails, ob Sorgenlast,
Sie überrollt uns ohne Rast.

Translation:
On the slope, so white, the silence deceives,
A soft crack, the tension lies.
Then it breaks loose with a thunderous roar,
The avalanche plunges into the deep valley.
First tiny, then gigantic,
Sweeps everything along, mercilessly.
Whether snow, or emails, or burden of worries,
It rolls over us without rest.

❓ Riddle

Ich komme vom Berg, doch hab keine Füße.
Ich bringe Gefahr, mal Kälte, mal Grüße (von zu viel Arbeit).
Mal bin ich aus Schnee, mal aus Papier,
Ich komme in Mengen, wer bin ich, sag's mir!

Translation:
I come from the mountain, but have no feet.
I bring danger, sometimes cold, sometimes greetings (from too much work).
Sometimes I'm made of snow, sometimes of paper,
I come in large amounts, who am I, tell me!

Solution: Die Lawine (The Avalanche)

💡 Other Interesting Facts

Word Origin: The German word "Lawine" likely originates from an Alpine Romance dialect, possibly influenced by the French "avalanche," and has been documented in German since the 18th century. It might trace back to the Latin "labina" (slippery place, landslide).

Safety Note: Real avalanches pose a serious threat in mountain regions. Always check the current avalanche danger level before heading into the mountains in winter!