die  Nachricht

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈnaːxʁɪçt/

🧐 What Exactly is a 'Nachricht'?

The German word die Nachricht (feminine) primarily has two meanings:

• Message, piece of information: A single piece of information or communication conveyed to someone (e.g., via letter, email, text message, verbally). Example: Ich habe eine Nachricht von meiner Freundin bekommen. (I received a message from my girlfriend.)
• News, report(s): Information about current events, often used in the plural (die Nachrichten), referring to news broadcasts on TV or radio. Example: Hast du heute schon die Nachrichten gesehen? (Have you watched the news today?)

🚨 It's always feminine: die Nachricht. There's no 'der' or 'das' version.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar of 'die Nachricht' in Detail

Die Nachricht is a feminine noun. Here are the declension tables:

Example Sentences

• Nominative Singular: Die Nachricht war überraschend. (The message was surprising.)
• Accusative Singular: Er überbrachte die Nachricht persönlich. (He delivered the message personally.)
• Dative Singular: Ich stimme der Nachricht nicht zu. (I don't agree with the message/news.)
• Genitive Singular: Der Inhalt der Nachricht ist vertraulich. (The content of the message is confidential.)
• Nominative Plural: Die Nachrichten im Fernsehen beginnen um 20 Uhr. (The news on TV starts at 8 PM.)
• Accusative Plural: Hast du die Nachrichten schon gehört? (Have you heard the news already?)
• Dative Plural: Man sollte nicht allen Nachrichten blind vertrauen. (One shouldn't blindly trust all news/messages.)
• Genitive Plural: Die Glaubwürdigkeit der Nachrichten wird oft diskutiert. (The credibility of the news is often discussed.)

🗣️ How to Use 'die Nachricht'?

The use of die Nachricht depends on the context:

• Personal Communication: Here, 'Nachricht' usually refers to a short message (text, email, note). "Schick mir später eine Nachricht." (Send me a message later.)
• Media and Journalism: In plural ('die Nachrichten'), it means the news broadcast or the collection of reports about current events. "Ich lese morgens immer die Online-Nachrichten." (I always read the online news in the morning.) In singular, it can also be a single news report. "Es gab eine Nachricht über das Erdbeben." (There was a news report about the earthquake.)

Distinction from similar words:

• Mitteilung: Often more formal than 'Nachricht', can also be longer. Means 'communication' or 'notification'.
• Botschaft: Can imply a deeper or more significant meaning, sometimes a diplomatic message. Means 'message' or 'embassy'.
• Meldung: Very similar to 'Nachricht' in the journalistic sense, often short and fact-based. Means 'report' or 'announcement'.
• Information: A general term for knowledge or data, not necessarily a specific conveyed message.

💡 Mnemonics for 'die Nachricht'

Mnemonic for the Article (die):

Think of die Information or die Kommunikation (communication) – both concepts are typically feminine in German and closely related to Nachricht. So, it's die Nachricht.

Mnemonic for the Meaning:

Break it down: 'Nach-' means 'after', and '-richt' relates to 'richten' (to direct, to aim, to report). A Nachricht comes *after* an event and *directs* information towards you or *reports* on something.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Gerücht: (Rumor) - Unconfirmed information often passed from person to person.
• Bericht: (Report) - Usually a more detailed, structured account of events or information.

😂 A Little Joke

Deutsch: Fragt der Chef seine Sekretärin: "Haben Sie Herrn Müller die Nachricht ausgerichtet?" Sekretärin: "Ja, aber er war sehr unhöflich." Chef: "Wieso das denn?" Sekretärin: "Er hat einfach aufgelegt, mitten im Satz!" Chef: "Aber Sie haben ihm doch nur gesagt, dass er mich zurückrufen soll?" Sekretärin: "Nein, ich habe ihm die ganze Nachricht vorgesungen!"

English: The boss asks his secretary: "Did you deliver the message to Mr. Müller?" Secretary: "Yes, but he was very rude." Boss: "Why is that?" Secretary: "He just hung up, right in the middle of the sentence!" Boss: "But you only told him to call me back, right?" Secretary: "No, I sang the whole message to him!"

📜 Poem about a Message

Deutsch:
Ein kleines Wort, oft schnell gesagt,
Die Nachricht, die das Herz bewegt,
Mal kurz, mal lang, mal froh, mal schwer,
Sie reist durchs Land, kommt von weit her.

Ein Piepton klingt, das Display hell,
Eine Nachricht kommt, blitzschnell.
Was mag drin steh'n, wer hat geschrieben?
Die Neugier ist uns stets geblieben.

English:
A little word, often quickly said,
The message, that moves the heart ahead,
Sometimes short, sometimes long, happy or dread,
It travels the land, from afar it's spread.

A beep sounds clear, the screen so bright,
A message arrives, with sudden light.
What might it say, who could have penned?
Curiosity remains our friend.

❓ Riddle Time

Deutsch:
Ich komme oft per Post, digital oder Ton,
Manchmal bring ich Freude, manchmal Spott und Hohn.
Im Fernsehen gibt's mich stündlich, aktuell und frisch,
Ich bin Information auf deinem Tisch.

Was bin ich? ... Die Nachricht (oder die Nachrichten)

English:
I often come by post, digital means, or sound,
Sometimes I bring joy, sometimes scorn can be found.
On TV, I'm hourly, current, and new,
I am information laid out for you.

What am I?
... The message / The news (die Nachricht / die Nachrichten)

🧩 Further Insights

Word Composition

The word Nachricht is composed of:

• nach: (after, according to) - Preposition/adverb indicating sequence or direction.
• richten: (to direct, to set right, to report) - Verb with various meanings, here in the sense of 'to convey', 'to inform', 'to direct'.

So, a 'Nachricht' is something that comes 'after' an event and to which attention is 'directed', or something that is 'conveyed' (ausgerichtet) to someone.

Related Terms

• Nachrichtensprecher/in: (News anchor/presenter) - Person who presents the news on TV or radio.
• Nachrichtenagentur: (News agency) - Company that gathers and distributes news.
• Kurznachrichtendienst: (Short message service, SMS) - Service for brief text messages (e.g., SMS, Twitter).
• Benachrichtigung: (Notification) - A more formal notice or piece of information about something.