die
Opferzahl
📖 What does "die Opferzahl" mean?
The word die Opferzahl (feminine) refers to the number of victims or the casualty figure resulting from a specific event (like an accident, disaster, war, or illness). It's a compound noun made up of Opfer (victim, person who suffers harm or dies) and Zahl (number, count).
It is mostly used in the singular, but can also appear in the plural (die Opferzahlen) when referring to numbers from different events or categories.
🚨 Important: Depending on the context, the term can refer to the dead, the injured, or both. It's often specified (e.g., "die Zahl der Todesopfer" - the number of fatalities).
Article rules for der, die, and das
Numbers, calculations → almost always feminine.
Caution: When verbs are turned into nouns, the result is 'das Addieren', 'das Subtrahieren', 'das Multiplizieren', 'das Dividieren'.
📊 Grammar and Declension of "Opferzahl"
The noun "Opferzahl" is feminine. The article is die.
| Case | Article | Noun | (English Meaning) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Opferzahl | (the casualty figure) |
| Genitive | der | Opferzahl | (of the casualty figure) |
| Dative | der | Opferzahl | (to/for the casualty figure) |
| Accusative | die | Opferzahl | (the casualty figure) |
| Case | Article | Noun | (English Meaning) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Opferzahlen | (the casualty figures) |
| Genitive | der | Opferzahlen | (of the casualty figures) |
| Dative | den | Opferzahlen | (to/for the casualty figures) |
| Accusative | die | Opferzahlen | (the casualty figures) |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die offizielle Opferzahl nach dem Erdbeben steigt weiter an.
(The official casualty figure after the earthquake continues to rise.) - Die Regierung gab die genaue Opferzahl noch nicht bekannt.
(The government has not yet announced the exact casualty figure.) - Man muss die Opferzahlen verschiedener Konflikte vergleichen, um das Ausmaß zu verstehen.
(One must compare the casualty figures of different conflicts to understand the scale.) - Die hohe Opferzahl hat weltweit Bestürzung ausgelöst.
(The high number of victims has caused dismay worldwide.)
🗣️ How to use "Opferzahl"?
"Die Opferzahl" is primarily used in news reports, official statements, and reports to inform about the consequences of negative events.
- Contexts: Natural disasters (earthquakes, floods), accidents (plane crashes, train accidents), wars, conflicts, terrorist attacks, epidemics.
- Collocations: You often hear "die hohe Opferzahl" (the high casualty figure), "die genaue Opferzahl" (the exact casualty figure), "die steigende/sinkende Opferzahl" (the rising/falling casualty figure), "die offizielle Opferzahl" (the official casualty figure).
- Distinction: Sometimes "Verlustzahl" (loss figure) is used synonymously, but it is more general and can also refer to material losses. "Todesopferzahl" or "Zahl der Todesopfer" (death toll, number of fatalities) is specifically for those killed.
🧠 Mnemonics for "Opferzahl"
Article Mnemonic: The word ends in "-zahl". Words ending in "-zahl" are almost always feminine in German. Think of die Zahl (the number) → die Opferzahl.
Meaning Mnemonic: Picture a somber number (Zahl) counting the victims (Opfer) of an event. The number represents the victims: Opfer + Zahl = Opferzahl (victim number/casualty figure).
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Verlustzahl: (Loss figure) Often synonymous, but can include material losses.
- Zahl der Todesopfer / Todesopferzahl: (Number of fatalities / death toll) Specific to those killed.
- Zahl der Verletzten / Verletztenzahl: (Number of injured) Specific to the injured.
- Gefallenenzahl: (Number of fallen soldiers) Specific to soldiers killed in war.
⚠️ Caution: Use the term precisely, as "Opferzahl" can mean both dead and injured.
😂 A Little Joke (about numbers)
DE: Warum sind Mathematiker so schlecht im Sonnenbaden?
Weil sie ständig mit den Zahlen im Schatten rechnen!
EN: Why are mathematicians so bad at sunbathing?
Because they are always calculating with numbers (Zahlen) in the shade (im Schatten rechnen - also means 'to expect sth.')!
(Please note: Jokes about casualty figures themselves are inappropriate. This joke only relates to the "Zahl" part of the word.)
📜 Poem about Opferzahl
DE:
Eine Zahl, so kahl und schwer,
spricht von Leid, von nicht mehr.
Die Opferzahl, ein stummer Schrei,
was Krieg und Not bringt herbei.
Sie mahnt uns leis', doch eindringlich,
Frieden zu suchen, für dich und mich.
EN:
A number, so bare and grave,
Speaks of sorrow, of no more life saved.
The casualty figure, a silent cry,
What war and hardship bring nearby.
It reminds us softly, yet urgently,
To seek peace, for you and me.
🤔 Little Riddle
DE:
Ich bin eine Zahl, doch bringe kein Glück,
ich wachse nach Unglück, Stück für Stück.
In Nachrichten oft genannt,
mal klein, mal riesengroß im Land.
Wer bin ich?
... Die Opferzahl
EN:
I am a number, but bring no luck,
I grow after misfortune, bit by bit, unstuck.
Often mentioned in the news you hear,
Sometimes small, sometimes huge across the sphere.
What am I?
... The casualty figure (Die Opferzahl)
💡 Other Information
Word Composition:
The word "Opferzahl" is a compound noun, composed of:
The combination expresses the number of victims.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Opferzahl?
The word "Opferzahl" is feminine. The correct article is die. Remember: die Zahl (the number) helps determine die Opferzahl.