die
Nachrichtenagentur
📰 What exactly is a Nachrichtenagentur?
A Nachrichtenagentur is a *news agency*, an organization whose main purpose is to gather current *Nachrichten* (*news*), reports, images, and other information and resell them for a fee to newspapers, magazines, radio and television broadcasters, and online media. They act as a central source of information for many media outlets.
The word is feminine in German, so it's always die Nachrichtenagentur.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ur/-ür → mostly feminine.
Caution: -eur nouns are usually masculine (e.g. der Ingenieur).
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Nachrichtenagentur
The noun „Nachrichtenagentur“ is feminine. Here are the declension tables:
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Nachrichtenagentur |
| Genitive | der | Nachrichtenagentur |
| Dative | der | Nachrichtenagentur |
| Accusative | die | Nachrichtenagentur |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Nachrichtenagenturen |
| Genitive | der | Nachrichtenagenturen |
| Dative | den | Nachrichtenagenturen |
| Accusative | die | Nachrichtenagenturen |
Example Sentences
- Die Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) ist eine bekannte Nachrichtenagentur.
(The Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) is a well-known news agency.) - Viele Zeitungen beziehen ihre Meldungen von Nachrichtenagenturen.
(Many newspapers get their reports from news agencies.) - Der Journalist arbeitete mehrere Jahre für eine internationale Nachrichtenagentur.
(The journalist worked for an international news agency for several years.)
🌐 How is "Nachrichtenagentur" used?
The term Nachrichtenagentur is primarily used in the context of *media*, *journalism*, and the *dissemination of information*. People refer to *Nachrichtenagenturen* when discussing the professional collection and distribution of news.
- Typical Contexts: Media reporting, discussions about press freedom, contracts between media houses and agencies.
- Well-known Examples: dpa (Germany), APA (Austria), SDA (Switzerland), Reuters (UK), Associated Press (AP, USA), Agence France-Presse (AFP, France).
- Distinction: A *Nachrichtenagentur* provides raw material (texts, images, videos), whereas a newspaper or broadcaster selects, edits, and prepares this material for the audience.
💡 Mnemonics for "die Nachrichtenagentur"
Article Mnemonic: The word ends in "-ur" (Agentur), and many German nouns ending in "-ur" are feminine (*die Zensur*, *die Natur*, *die Kultur*). Imagine a feminine agent hurriedly gathering *Nachrichten* (news) – die Nachrichtenagentur.
Meaning Mnemonic: The word is a compound of "Nachrichten" (*news*) and "Agentur" (*agency*). So, it's literally an "agency for news".
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Presseagentur: *Press agency* - Very similar, often used interchangeably.
- Informationsdienst: *Information service* - Can be broader, but often used in the same context.
- Nachrichtendienst: *News service* - Sometimes used, but can also refer to intelligence agencies (⚠️ *be careful with usage!*).
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
There isn't a direct antonym. One could contrast concepts like:
- Einzeljournalist/in: *Individual journalist* - A person researching and reporting independently, as opposed to the organization.
- Desinformation/Propaganda: *Disinformation/Propaganda* - Deliberate false information, contrasting with the (ideal) goal of objective reporting by an agency.
😄 A Little Joke
Warum nehmen Journalisten von Nachrichtenagenturen immer einen Block und Stift mit in die Wüste?
Damit sie die Nachrichtenquelle anzapfen können! ✏️💧
(Why do journalists from news agencies always take a notepad and pen to the desert?
So they can tap the news source!)
📜 Poem about the Nachrichtenagentur
Aus aller Welt, bei Tag und Nacht,
wird die Nachricht hergebracht.
Gesammelt schnell, geprüft, versandt,
durch die Nachrichtenagentur ins Land.
Sie speist die Zeitung, Funk und Web,
mit Fakten frisch, im schnellen Trab.
Ein Ticker rast, ein Bild entsteht,
damit die Welt versteht, was sich dreht.
(From all the world, by day and night,
the news is brought to light.
Gathered fast, checked, sent around,
by the news agency to town.
It feeds the paper, radio, web,
with facts so fresh, in rapid step.
A ticker runs, a picture's made,
so the world understands the parade.)
❓ Riddle
Ich sammle Worte, Bilder, Töne,
berichte über das Gewesene und Schöne.
Ich verkaufe schnell, was wichtig ist und neu,
an Zeitung, Radio, bleibe selten scheu.
Mein Name ist feminin, das ist bekannt.
Wie werde ich genannt?
(I gather words, images, sounds,
report on past events and beauty found.
I quickly sell what's important and new,
to papers, radio, rarely shy from view.
My name is feminine, that is known.
What name am I shown?)
Solution: die Nachrichtenagentur (the news agency)
📌 Other Information
Word Composition:
The word "Nachrichtenagentur" is a compound noun, composed of:
- Die Nachricht (plural: die Nachrichten): *message, news item, report*.
- Die Agentur: *agency*, an office, representation, or organization that mediates or provides services.
Role in the Media Ecosystem: *Nachrichtenagenturen* play a central role in the global flow of information. They enable even smaller media outlets to report on events from around the world without having to station their own correspondents everywhere. Their objectivity and reliability are therefore crucial.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Nachrichtenagentur?
The word "Nachrichtenagentur" is always feminine. Therefore, the correct article is exclusively die: die Nachrichtenagentur.