die / der  Linke

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈlɪŋkə/

🧐 What exactly does "Linke" mean?

The word "Linke" is the nominalized form of the adjective "links" (left). It has two grammatical genders, der (masculine) and die (feminine), which have different meanings or references:

• die Linke (feminine):
  1. Refers to a female person who is left-handed. Example: Sie schreibt mit der linken Hand, sie ist eine Linke. (She writes with her left hand, she is a left-handed person.)
  2. Refers to a female person who is politically left-leaning or belongs to a left-wing party. Example: Die Abgeordnete ist eine überzeugte Linke. (The female representative is a convinced leftist.)
  3. Often specifically refers to the political party "Die Linke" in Germany. Example: Die Linke hat einen neuen Gesetzesvorschlag eingebracht. (The Left Party has introduced a new legislative proposal.) (Often capitalized as a proper noun here)
  4. Can also refer generally to the left political movement. Example: Die Linke fordert mehr soziale Gerechtigkeit. (The Left calls for more social justice.)
• der Linke (masculine):
  1. Refers to a male person who is left-handed. Example: Er ist der Einzige in der Familie, der ein Linker ist. (He is the only one in the family who is a left-handed person.)
  2. Refers to a male person who is politically left-leaning or belongs to a left-wing party. Example: Er gilt als profilierter Linker in seiner Fraktion. (He is considered a prominent leftist in his parliamentary group.)

🚨 Attention: The context is crucial to understanding the meaning (left-handedness vs. political orientation). When referring to the party, "Die Linke" is often capitalized as a proper noun.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📜 Grammar of "die Linke" and "der Linke"

"Linke" is a nominalized adjective and is declined accordingly. It follows the weak or mixed declension after an article or pronoun and the strong declension without an article.

Declension "die Linke" (feminine)

Declension "der Linke" (masculine)

📝 Example Sentences

• Die Linke hat bei der letzten Wahl Stimmen gewonnen.
  (The Left Party gained votes in the last election.)
• Ich habe mit der Linken gesprochen.
  (I spoke with the left-handed/leftist woman.)
• Er ist ein Linker.
  (He is a leftist / a left-handed person.)
• Unter den Schülern gibt es viele Linke.
  (Among the students, there are many left-handed people / leftists.)
• Das Programm der Linken wurde vorgestellt.
  (The program of the Left Party/the leftists/the left-handed people was presented.)
• Wir diskutierten mit den Linken.
  (We discussed with the leftists / the left-handed people.)

🗣️ How to use "Linke"?

The use of "der Linke" and "die Linke" strongly depends on the context:

• Politics: Very commonly, "die Linke" (often capitalized) is used for the party "Die Linke". Both "der Linke" and "die Linke" (lowercase) refer to supporters of left-wing political ideas. In political discourse, the term can be neutral, descriptive, or derogatory depending on the viewpoint.
• Everyday Life (Left-handedness): Here, it simply describes a person who prefers using their left hand. This usage is less common than the political one and mostly neutral.
• Risk of Confusion: Without clear context, it can be ambiguous whether left-handedness or political orientation is meant. Capitalization ("Die Linke") usually indicates the party.
• Comparison: Contrasts with "der/die Rechte" (politically right) or "Rechtshänder/in" (right-handed person).

💡 Tip: Pay attention to the article (der/die), capitalization, and the sentence context to determine the correct meaning.

🧠 Mnemonics for "der/die Linke"

• Remembering the Article: Think of people: Der Mann (the man) is der Linke (politically/hand). Die Frau (the woman) is die Linke (politically/hand). The party (Die Partei) is also called Die Linke.

• Remembering the Meaning (Politics vs. Hand): Imagine a political debate: The arguments come from the links (left - political). Imagine someone writing: The pen is in the linken Hand (left hand - left-handed). Context is key!

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: The terms are not always interchangeable. "Sozialist" or "Kommunist" are more specific than "Linker". In everyday language, "Linkshänder" is more common than "der/die Linke" for hand preference.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum streiten sich Linkshänder und Rechtshänder nie lange?
Weil sie sich am Ende doch immer irgendwie die Hand geben – auch wenn es manchmal die falsche ist!

Why do left-handed and right-handed people never argue for long?
Because in the end, they always somehow shake hands – even if it's sometimes the wrong one!

✒️ Poem about die Linke

Ob mit Stift in linker Hand geführt,
ob Herz, das links im Körper spürt,
ob Meinung, die nach vorne drängt,
an alten Zöpfen nicht mehr hängt.
Die Linke hier, der Linke dort,
ein vielschichtiges, starkes Wort.
Mal Mensch, mal Richtung, mal Partei,
im Leben ist stets was dabei!

Whether guided by a pen in the left hand,
Or heart that beats on the left side, unplanned,
Or opinion pushing forward bold,
Not clinging to the tales of old.
Die Linke here, der Linke there,
A complex, potent word to share.
Sometimes person, stance, or party's name,
In life, it's always part of the game!

❓ Little Riddle

Ich kann ein Mann sein oder eine Frau,
manchmal schreib' ich anders, schau genau!
Ich kann auch eine Richtung sein im Staat,
für manche gut, für andre eine Saat
von Streit. Mal groß, mal klein geschrieben,
wer bin ich, mit zwei Artikeln beschrieben?

I can be a man or a woman, you see,
Sometimes I write differently, look closely!
I can also be a direction in the state,
For some it's good, for others it's the seed of hate
Or strife. Sometimes capitalized, sometimes not,
Who am I, described with two articles, what have you got?

Solution: der/die Linke

🧩 Other Information

• Etymology: The word "links" comes from the Old High German "link", which originally could mean "awkward" or "wrong". This negative connotation has partly disappeared for "Linkshänder" (left-handed person), but is often still present in the political spectrum (depending on perspective).
• Nominalization: "Linke" is a classic example of the nominalization of an adjective in German. The gender corresponds to the natural gender of the person (der Mann -> der Linke; die Frau -> die Linke) or is used generically as feminine for the political direction/party (die Linke).
• Plural: The plural is the same for both genders: "die Linken".