die
Leere
🌌 What does "die Leere" mean?
Die Leere is a feminine noun referring to the state or feeling of absence of content, substance, or meaning. It can have several nuances:
- Physical emptiness: A space or container holding nothing (e.g., die Leere des Alls - the emptiness of space).
- Emotional/Psychological emptiness: A feeling of inner hollowness, meaninglessness, or loneliness (e.g., eine tiefe Leere in sich spüren - to feel a deep emptiness within oneself).
- Philosophical/Spiritual emptiness: A concept often found in Buddhism (Śūnyatā) or existential philosophy, potentially referring to the lack of inherent self or ultimate reality.
- Blank space/Gap: An undescribed or unused area (e.g., die Leere auf dem Formular ausfüllen - to fill the blank on the form - although 'Lücke' or 'Leerstelle' are more common here).
🚨 It's important to consider the context to understand the exact meaning.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
📚 Grammar of "die Leere" in Detail
"Leere" is a feminine noun. It is mostly used in the singular. The plural ("die Leeren") is very rare and usually refers to different types or instances of emptiness.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Leere |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Leere |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Leere |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Leere |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Leeren |
| Genitive | der | Leeren |
| Dative | den | Leeren |
| Accusative | die | Leeren |
📝 Example Sentences
- Nach dem Umzug herrschte eine große Leere im alten Haus.
(After the move, there was a great emptiness in the old house. - Physical) - Er fühlte eine unerträgliche Leere nach ihrer Abreise.
(He felt an unbearable emptiness after her departure. - Emotional) - Die Meditation half ihr, die innere Leere zu akzeptieren.
(Meditation helped her accept the inner emptiness. - Spiritual/Psychological) - Die unendliche Leere des Weltraums faszinierte die Astronomen.
(The infinite emptiness of space fascinated the astronomers. - Physical)
💡 How to use "die Leere"?
Die Leere is often used in contexts describing absence, lack, or vastness.
- In everyday life: Can refer to empty rooms, containers, or even boredom ("die gähnende Leere des Nachmittags" - the yawning emptiness of the afternoon).
- In psychology/literature: Often describes deep feelings of loneliness, loss, or existential crisis.
- In philosophy/spirituality: A central concept in certain schools of thought, often with positive or neutral connotations (e.g., potential, openness).
- In physics/astronomy: Describes the vacuum or the empty space between celestial bodies.
Distinction: While Leere is often abstract or emotional, words like Lücke (gap), Leerstelle (blank space), or Hohlraum (cavity) usually refer to concrete physical gaps or undescribed areas.
🧠 Mnemonics for "die Leere"
Article Mnemonic: Die Leere ends in 'e', like many feminine nouns. Imagine a woman (die Frau) looking into the vast, empty landscape (die Leere).
Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the adjective leer (empty). Die Leere is the state of being leer. The two 'e's in Leere might stand for 'extra empty' or perhaps the vast 'Empty Expanse'.
↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Das Nichts: Nothingness; often more philosophical, absolute lack of being.
- Das Vakuum: Vacuum; primarily physical, a space devoid of air.
- Der Hohlraum: Cavity, void; more concrete, a physical empty space within something.
- Die Ödnis / Die Öde: Wasteland, desolation; often refers to an empty, bleak landscape or situation.
- Die Sinnlosigkeit: Meaninglessness; refers to the perceived emptiness of life's purpose.
- Die Einsamkeit: Loneliness; feeling of being alone, can accompany inner emptiness.
⚠️ Be cautious: Words like die Lücke (gap) or die Leerstelle (blank) usually refer to concrete omissions and are not always synonyms for the often more abstract die Leere.
😂 A little joke
Fragt ein Philosoph den anderen: "Was ist schlimmer als die Leere?"
Antwortet der andere: "Wenn die Leere auch noch hallt!"
Translation:
One philosopher asks the other: "What's worse than the void (emptiness)?"
The other replies: "When the void echoes!"
📜 Poem about Emptiness
Die Leere spricht, ganz ohne Laut,
Ein weiter Raum, dem Nichts vertraut.
Mal kalt und karg, mal still und weit,
Ein Spiegelbild der Ewigkeit.
Manch Herz sie fürchtet, sucht nach Sinn,
Doch birgt sie auch Potenzial drin.
Translation:
The emptiness speaks, without a sound,
A vast space, where nothing's found (or: familiar with nothingness).
Sometimes cold and bare, sometimes still and wide,
A reflection of eternity's tide.
Some hearts fear it, search for sense,
Yet it also holds potential immense.
🤔 Riddle
Ich habe keinen Körper, doch fülle Räume groß und klein.
Man spürt mich tief im Herzen, bin ich mit Einsamkeit allein.
Im All bin ich zuhause, wo Sterne fern und fahl.
Was bin ich, still und ohne Zahl?
Translation:
I have no body, yet fill spaces large and small.
You feel me deep within the heart, when loneliness stands tall.
In space I am at home, where stars are faint and far.
What am I, silent and without number?
Solution: die Leere (emptiness/the void)
🧩 Further Insights
Word Formation: Die Leere is the nominalization (turning into a noun) of the adjective leer (empty). The suffix "-e" is often used to form feminine nouns from adjectives, describing a state or quality (e.g., weit (wide) -> die Weite (vastness), groß (big) -> die Größe (size/greatness)).
Cultural Significance: The concept of emptiness (often termed 'nothingness' or 'the void') plays a significant role in many cultures and philosophies, from ancient Greek philosophy to modern existentialism and Buddhism (Śūnyatā).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Leere?
The German word for emptiness or void, Leere, is a feminine noun: die Leere. It describes physical empty spaces as well as emotional or philosophical states of lack or vastness.