die
Lüge
🤥 What Exactly is a 'Lüge'?
Die Lüge (noun, feminine) refers to a deliberately false statement made with the intention of deceiving someone else or obscuring the truth. It involves the intentional spreading of untruth.
In contrast to an Irrtum (mistake or error, where the speaker believes what they are saying), the person telling a Lüge knows that their statement does not correspond to reality. Lies can have various motives, from protection and self-interest to malice.
⚠️ Caution: The term carries strong negative connotations.
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: Declension of 'die Lüge'
'Lüge' is a feminine noun. Here are the declension tables:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Lüge |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Lüge |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Lüge |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Lüge |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Lügen |
| Genitive | der | Lügen |
| Dative | den | Lügen |
| Accusative | die | Lügen |
📝 Example Sentences
- Seine Ausrede war eine offensichtliche Lüge. (His excuse was an obvious lie.)
- Manchmal ist eine kleine Notlüge besser als die verletzende Wahrheit. (Sometimes a small white lie is better than the hurtful truth.)
- Er verstrickte sich immer mehr in seinen eigenen Lügen. (He got more and more entangled in his own lies.)
- Lügen haben kurze Beine. (Proverb: Lies have short legs, meaning lies don't get you far or are easily discovered.)
🗣️ Everyday Usage: When to use 'Lüge'?
The word 'Lüge' is used when it's clear that someone is deliberately telling an untruth.
- Contexts: Everyday communication, moral discussions, legal contexts (e.g., Meineid - perjury - as a lie under oath), literature, and media.
- Nuances: A distinction is often made between different types of lies, such as:
- Related Verb: The corresponding verb is 'lügen' (to lie) - er lügt (he lies), er log (he lied), er hat gelogen (he has lied).
- Differentiation: An Unwahrheit (untruth) can also be spoken unintentionally (Irrtum - error). A Täuschung (deception) can also be non-verbal. A Flunkerei is usually a harmless little fib.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'Lüge'
For the article 'die': Think that lies often try to hide -> die Lüge. Or, associate it with the feminine article 'die' because stereotypes sometimes link intrigue (die Intrige) and deception with femininity – hence die Lüge.
For the meaning: Imagine someone telling a lie and getting a red face. They lüg(e) (sounds a bit like *league*) in a *league* of deceivers, but it's a false game. Don't tell a Lüge!
↔️ Opposites and Alternatives: Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Unwahrheit: (Untruth) More general term for something false, can include mistakes.
- Flunkerei: (Fib, little lie) Usually small, harmless, often used with children.
- Schwindel: (Swindle, hoax, fib) Can be a lie or a deception/fraud.
- Täuschung: (Deception, illusion) Misleading, not only through words.
- Märchen: (Fairy tale) Colloquially for an unbelievable lie.
- Aufschneiderei: (Boasting, tall tales) Exaggeration, often involving lies.
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Wahrheit: (Truth) The correspondence of a statement with reality.
- Aufrichtigkeit: (Sincerity, honesty) Truthfulness in speech and action.
- Ehrlichkeit: (Honesty) The virtue of being truthful.
- Fakt: (Fact) A provably true circumstance.
⚠️ Similar Words:
- Irrtum: (Error, mistake) A false assumption or statement that the speaker believes to be true.
😂 A Little Joke
Warum nehmen Skelette keine Lügen übel?
(Why don't skeletons take lies personally?)
Weil Lügen ihnen nicht unter die Haut gehen!
(Because lies don't get under their skin!)
✒️ Poem about the Lie
Ein Wort gesprochen, leicht und schnell,
(A word spoken, light and quick,)
doch ohne wahren Kern, so grell.
(But without a true core, so stark.)
Die Lüge schleicht auf leisen Sohlen,
(The lie creeps on silent soles,)
will oft die Wahrheit überholen.
(Often wants to overtake the truth.)
Doch Beine hat sie kurz, man sagt,
(But it has short legs, they say,)
weil Ehrlichkeit am längsten ragt.
(Because honesty stands tallest.)
❓ Riddle
Ich habe keinen Körper, doch verletze tief.
(I have no body, yet I wound deeply.)
Ich habe keine Stimme, doch verursache Zank und Hieb.
(I have no voice, yet I cause strife and blows.)
Man sagt, ich hätte kurze Beine.
(They say I have short legs.)
Wer bin ich, sag's, du weißt es, keine Frage?
(Who am I, tell me, you know it, no question?)
Solution: Die Lüge (The Lie)
💡 Other Information
- Word Formation: The noun 'Lüge' is derived from the verb 'lügen' (to lie).
- Compounds: There are many compound words, such as Notlüge (white lie), Lebenslüge (life lie, living a lie), Lügengeschichte (cock-and-bull story, literally 'lie story'), Lügenpresse ('lying press', a political attack term), Lügendetektor (lie detector).
- Idioms: "Lügen haben kurze Beine" (Lies have short legs - Lies don't get far), "Das Blaue vom Himmel lügen" (To lie through one's teeth, literally 'to lie the blue from the sky'), "Sich in die eigene Tasche lügen" (To kid oneself, literally 'to lie into one's own pocket').
- Philosophy & Ethics: The moral evaluation of lying is a central topic in ethics (e.g., Immanuel Kant strictly rejected lying).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Lüge?
The correct article for the word "Lüge" is exclusively die. It is a feminine noun: die Lüge, plural: die Lügen.