die  Lunge

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈlʊŋə/

🌬️ What does "die Lunge" mean?

Die Lunge (noun, feminine) refers to the primary breathing organ (das Atmungsorgan) in many air-breathing animals, including humans. We typically have two lungs (zwei Lungenflügel: right and left lung lobes), located in the chest cavity (der Brustkorb).

Their main function is gas exchange (der Gasaustausch): oxygen (der Sauerstoff) from inhaled air is absorbed into the blood, and carbon dioxide (das Kohlendioxid) from the blood is released into the air, which we then exhale (ausatmen).

Although we have two lung lobes, the singular form "die Lunge" is often used to refer to the organ system as a whole or when referring to a single lung lobe. The plural is "die Lungen".

There are no other meanings for "Lunge" associated with different articles. It is always feminine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Lunge" in Detail

The word "Lunge" is a feminine noun. The article is always "die".

💬 Example Sentences

1. Die Lunge ist für die Atmung unerlässlich.
   (The lung is essential for breathing.)
2. Der Arzt hörte die Lungen des Patienten ab.
   (The doctor listened to the patient's lungs.) (Plural)
3. Rauchen schadet der Lunge erheblich.
   (Smoking significantly harms the lung(s).) (Singular, Dative)
4. Beim Röntgenbild untersuchte man die rechte Lunge.
   (In the X-ray image, they examined the right lung.) (Singular, Accusative)
5. Die Kapazität seiner Lungen war beeindruckend.
   (The capacity of his lungs was impressive.) (Plural, Genitive - often phrased with 'von': Die Kapazität von seinen Lungen...)

💡 How "die Lunge" is Used

"Die Lunge" is primarily used in medical and biological contexts when discussing the respiratory system (das Atmungssystem). However, it also appears in everyday language, especially concerning health (die Gesundheit), sports (der Sport), or habits like smoking (das Rauchen).

• Medicine: Lungenentzündung (pneumonia), Lungenkrebs (lung cancer), Lungenfunktionstest (pulmonary function test).
• Everyday life: "tief Luft holen" (to take a deep breath), "die Lungen fühlen sich schwer an" (the lungs feel heavy), "Sport ist gut für Herz und Lunge" (exercise is good for the heart and lungs).
• Idiomatic use: There are several idioms:
  • "Sich die Lunge aus dem Hals schreien": (lit. 'to scream the lungs out of one's throat') means to scream very loudly.
  • "Noch Lunge haben": (lit. 'to still have lung') means to have stamina, to still have breath (during sports, etc.).
  • "Eine eiserne Lunge": (lit. 'an iron lung') historically refers to a ventilator; metaphorically means great stamina.

⚠️ There's little risk of confusion as the word is very specific. Sometimes, colloquially, "Puste" (wind, puff) is used synonymously for the function of the lungs ("Mir geht die Puste aus" - I'm running out of breath).

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Lunge"

For the article 'die': Many German nouns ending in -e are feminine (feminin). Think of: die Lampe (the lamp), die Katze (the cat), die Straße (the street)... and also die Lunge! 🌸

For the meaning: Imagine how LUft (air - which is feminine: die Luft) flows into the LUnge. Both start with 'LU'. The Lunge needs die Luft to breathe (atmen). 🌬️

🔄 Synonyms & Related Terms

Related terms (but not synonyms):

• Bronchien: The bronchial tubes within the lungs.
• Alveolen/Lungenbläschen: The small air sacs in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.
• Atemwege: The respiratory tract - the entire path of air from nose/mouth to the alveoli.
• Pneumologie: Pneumology, the medical field dealing with lung diseases (also Lungenheilkunde).

🚨 Don't confuse with: Lauge (lye, alkaline solution) - sounds vaguely similar but is completely unrelated.

😂 A Little Lung Joke

Warum hat die Lunge beim Marathon gewonnen?
Weil sie den längsten Atem hatte! 😉

(Why did the lung win the marathon?
Because it had the most stamina / the longest breath!)

📜 Poem about the Lung

Im Brustkorb, still und weich,
Liegt die Lunge, an Leben reich.
Sie atmet ein, sie atmet aus,
Bringt frische Luft ins ganze Haus.
Tag und Nacht, ganz ohne Ruh',
Schenkt sie uns Kraft immerzu.

(In the chest, silent and soft,
Lies the lung, rich with life.
It breathes in, it breathes out,
Brings fresh air into the whole house [body].
Day and night, without rest,
It gives us strength always.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich habe Flügel, doch ich flieg' nicht fort.
Ich wohne paarweis' an 'nem inneren Ort.
Ich fülle mich mit Luft bei Tag und Nacht,
Hab' nie Geräusche beim Atmen gemacht.

Was bin ich?

(I have wings, but I don't fly away.
I live in pairs in an inner place.
I fill myself with air day and night,
(Implied: I enable breathing without making noise myself / I am silent in my work of breathing).

What am I?)
... Die Lunge / die Lungen (The lung / the lungs)

⭐ Other Info about Die Lunge

• Word Origin: The German word "Lunge" comes from the Old High German "lunguna," which likely meant "the light one." This is possibly because the lungs are relatively light compared to other organs like the liver (die Leber) or heart (das Herz) and float on water.
• Number of Lobes: The human right lung typically has three lobes (drei Lappen: upper, middle, and lower), while the left lung usually has only two lobes (upper and lower) to make space for the heart.
• Capacity: An average adult lung (eine erwachsene Lunge) can hold about 4-6 liters of air, but only about 0.5 liters are exchanged during normal resting breath (der Ruheatemzug).