die  Maus

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/maʊs/

🐭 What exactly is a Maus?

The German word die Maus primarily has two meanings:

1. The animal: A small rodent (Mus musculus), often grey or white, known for its rapid reproduction and sometimes kept as a pet or considered a pest.

   

2. The computer input device: A handheld device used to control the cursor on a computer screen. 🖱️

   

In both cases, the correct article is die. There's no risk of confusion due to different articles for this word.

🧐 Grammar: Die Maus in a Sentence

The noun "Maus" is feminine. Here are the declension tables:

Example Sentences

• Die Maus huschte schnell ins Loch. (The mouse quickly scurried into the hole. - Animal)
• Meine Katze jagt gerne Mäuse. (My cat likes chasing mice. - Animal, Plural)
• Kannst du mir bitte die Maus geben? Mein Cursor bewegt sich nicht. (Can you please pass me the mouse? My cursor isn't moving. - Computer device)
• Neue Computermäuse haben oft keine Kugel mehr. (New computer mice often don't have a ball anymore. - Computer device, Plural)
• Der Käse ist für die Maus. (The cheese is for the mouse. - Animal, Dative Singular)

💡 How to Use "die Maus"?

The usage of "Maus" heavily depends on the context:

• Animal: Used in biological contexts, conversations about pets, pests, or in nature.
• Computer device: Used in technical fields, at the workplace, or at home in relation to computers.

Idiomatic Expressions:

• Eine graue Maus sein: To be inconspicuous, shy (literally 'a grey mouse').
• Arme Maus: An expression of pity for someone (literally 'poor mouse').
• Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab: There's nothing you can do about it, it's a settled fact (literally 'the mouse doesn't bite off a thread there').

🚨 Be sure to form the plural correctly: Mäuse. This applies to both meanings.

🧠 Mnemonics for Maus

Article Mnemonic: Most one-syllable German nouns ending in "-aus" (like die Laus - the louse) are feminine. Imagine: Die (she) is a feminine mouse.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the sounds: The real Maus goes "squeak, squeak", and the computer Maus goes "click, click". Both are small things referred to with the feminine article "die".

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

😂 A Little Joke

Zwei Mäuse nagen an einem Film. Fragt die eine Maus die andere: "Na, wie schmeckt er?" Sagt die andere: "Ach, das Buch war besser!"

Translation: Two mice are nibbling on a film reel. One mouse asks the other: "So, how does it taste?" The other replies: "Oh, the book was better!"

✍️ Poem about the Maus

Die Maus, ob echt, ob digital,
ist nützlich uns, ganz ohne Wahl.
Die eine huscht, frisst Käse gern,
die andre klickt, dem Bildschirm fern
bewegt sie Pfeile, schnell und klein,
beide sind „die Maus“, so muss es sein!

Translation:
The mouse, real or digital bright,
Is useful to us, day and night.
One scurries, loves cheese, you see,
The other clicks, for the PC.
It moves the cursor, swift and slight,
Both are "die Maus", and that is right!

❓ Riddle Time

Ich habe keinen Mund, doch fresse Käse gern im Traum.
Ich habe Tasten, doch kein Klavier im Raum.
Manchmal renn' ich schnell, versteck mich vor der Katz',
Manchmal lieg' ich still auf einem Mauspad-Platz.

Wer bin ich?

Translation:
I have no mouth, but dream of eating cheese with glee.
I have buttons, but no piano, you agree.
Sometimes I run fast, hiding from the cat's chase,
Sometimes I lie still on a mousepad base.

Who am I?
(Answer: die Maus / the mouse)

🧩 Other Interesting Facts

• Word Composition: The word "Computermaus" is a compound noun formed from "Computer" and "Maus".
• Cultural Note: "Die Sendung mit der Maus" (The Show with the Mouse) is a very famous German children's television show. 🐭📺
• Term of Endearment: "Maus" or "Mausi" is often used affectionately as a nickname for children or partners in German.