die  Mitternacht

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈmɪtl̩ˌnaxt/

🕰️ What does 'die Mitternacht' mean?

Die Mitternacht (noun, feminine) refers to the exact time of 12:00 AM (00:00), marking the transition from one day to the next. It signifies the middle of the night.

• Meaning 1: The precise moment of midnight (00:00).
• Meaning 2: The period around midnight.

🚨 Note: Although it refers to a point in time, the word is feminine (die Mitternacht), just like die Nacht (the night) itself.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📜 Grammar of Mitternacht in Detail

The noun 'Mitternacht' is feminine. It is mostly used in the singular form.

Declension (Case Endings)

The plural 'Mitternächte' is very rare and only used when referring to multiple specific midnights (e.g., in literary contexts).

Examples ✍️

1. Punkt Mitternacht beginnt der neue Tag. (Exactly at midnight, the new day begins.)
2. Wir trafen uns um Mitternacht am alten Turm. (We met at midnight at the old tower.)
3. Die Glocken läuteten zur Mitternacht. (The bells rang at midnight.)
4. In den langen Winternächten schienen die Mitternächte besonders dunkel zu sein. (During the long winter nights, the midnights seemed particularly dark. - rare plural use)

💡 How to Use 'Mitternacht'

'Mitternacht' is primarily used to indicate the exact time of 12:00 AM (00:00).

• Time Specification: The most common use is stating the time. Prepositions like um (at, exactly at) or gegen (around, towards) are often used: um Mitternacht, gegen Mitternacht.
• Symbolic Meaning: Midnight can also symbolically represent a turning point, the end of something old and the beginning of something new (e.g., New Year's Eve - Silvester). It's often associated with silence, darkness, but also mystery or spookiness (Geisterstunde - witching hour).
• Distinction from 'Nacht': While die Nacht refers to the entire period of darkness, die Mitternacht is the peak or midpoint of the night.

🧠 Mnemonics for Mitternacht

Article Mnemonic: Think of die Nacht (the night). The middle of the night is still the night, so it's die Mitternacht.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine a clock where both hands point straight up (to the Mitte, middle) - that's the middle of the Nacht (night). Mitternacht!

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: 'Nacht' (night) is not a direct synonym but the broader time period.

😄 A Little Joke

German: Warum gehen Skelette nicht gerne um Mitternacht aus? Weil sie keinen 'Körper' haben, mit dem sie gehen könnten!

English: Why don't skeletons like to go out at midnight? Because they have no body to go with! (Pun on 'nobody')

📜 Poem about Midnight

German:
Wenn die Uhr zwölf Mal schlägt,
Die Welt zur Ruhe sich legt.
Die Mitternacht, still und klar,
Ein neuer Tag ist nun da.
Sterne funkeln, Mondenschein,
Die Zeit scheint still zu sein.

English Translation:
When the clock strikes twelve times,
The world settles down to rest.
The Midnight, quiet and clear,
A new day is now here.
Stars sparkle, moonlight,
Time seems to stand still.

❓ Riddle

German:
Ich bin der Punkt, wo heute endet,
Und morgen still die Zeit schon wendet.
Genau in der Mitte der dunklen Wacht,
Wie heißt die Stunde? Es ist ...?

English Translation:
I am the point where today ends,
And tomorrow quietly time already turns.
Exactly in the middle of the dark watch,
What is the hour called? It is ...?

Solution: die Mitternacht (midnight)

🧩 Other Info & Trivia

Word Composition: The word 'Mitternacht' is a compound word formed from:

• Mitte: (Middle) Refers to the midpoint.
• Nacht: (Night) Refers to the dark time of day.

Cultural Notes:

• In many cultures, midnight marks an important point in time, e.g., the beginning of the New Year on New Year's Eve (Silvester).
• In fairy tales and legends, midnight is often the time when magic happens or supernatural beings appear (Geisterstunde - the witching hour).