die
Partie
🎲 What does "die Partie" mean?
The word die Partie (feminine) has several meanings:
- Game or Match: A single round or an entire game, especially in board games or card games. ♟️
Example: eine Partie Schach (a game of chess), eine Partie Karten (a game of cards) - Portion or Lot (of goods): A specific quantity of something, often in trade. 📦
Example: eine Partie Obst (a lot of fruit), eine Partie Stoffe (a batch of fabrics) - Outing or Excursion (often social): A joint trip, usually to the countryside. 🌳
Example: eine Landpartie machen (to go on a country outing) - Group or Party (less common): A group of people with shared interests (outdated for political party, nowadays more for music groups etc.). 🎶
- (Good) Match (potential spouse - often dated): A person considered as a potential spouse, usually regarding social or financial advantages. 💍
Example: Er galt als gute Partie. (He was considered a good match.)
🚨 Attention: Don't confuse it with die Partei (political party)!
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ie → almost always feminine.
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
📊 Grammar in Detail: Die Partie
The noun die Partie is feminine. Here are the declension tables:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Partie |
| Genitive | der | Partie |
| Dative | der | Partie |
| Accusative | die | Partie |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Partien |
| Genitive | der | Partien |
| Dative | den | Partien |
| Accusative | die | Partien |
Example Sentences
- Die Schachpartie dauerte über vier Stunden.
(The chess game lasted over four hours.) - Der Händler kaufte eine große Partie Äpfel.
(The merchant bought a large lot of apples.) - Am Sonntag machen wir eine Partie ins Grüne.
(On Sunday, we're going on an outing into the countryside.) - Sie hoffte, eine gute Partie zu machen.
(She hoped to make a good match/marry well.)
🗣️ Usage in Context
The meaning of die Partie usually becomes clear from the context:
- In Sports/Games: When talking about einer Partie Schach/Tennis/Karten, it clearly refers to the game.
- In Trade: If you hear about einer Partie Waren/Güter, it's about a shipment or batch of goods.
- Social/Leisure: Eine Landpartie or eine Partie machen refers to an outing or trip.
- Marriage (rather old-fashioned): If someone ist eine gute Partie or macht eine Partie, it's about an advantageous marriage. This usage is less common today and can be perceived as materialistic.
Risk of confusion exists with die Partei (political party) and the French word parti (biased, decided).
🧠 How to Remember "die Partie"
For the article 'die': Think of a party (sounds like Partie) usually involving women (associated with 'die', the feminine article). Or remember that many nouns ending in '-ie' in German are feminine (die Melodie, die Energie, die Partie).
For the meanings: Imagine going to a fancy garden party (Partie = outing) where you play a part (Partie = game) of chess, hoping to find a good marriage partner (Partie = match), while enjoying a portion (Partie = lot/portion) of strawberries.
↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (similar words):
- For Spiel/Wettkampf (game/match): das Spiel, der Wettkampf, die Runde, das Match
- For Teil/Menge (part/quantity): der Posten, die Charge, die Lieferung, die Menge, der Anteil
- For Ausflug (outing): der Ausflug, die Fahrt, die Tour, die Unternehmung
- For (Heirats-)Partie (match): der/die Heiratskandidat/in (marriage candidate), der/die gute Fang (good catch - colloquial)
Antonyms (opposite words):
- For Teil/Menge (part/quantity): das Ganze (the whole), die Gesamtheit (the entirety)
- Other meanings don't have direct antonyms.
⚠️ Similar but different words:
- Die Partei: A political party.
😄 A Little Joke
Warum spielen Skelette nie Poker?
Weil sie kein Pokerface haben und man immer durch ihre Rippen schauen kann, welche Karten sie in der Partie haben! 😉
(Why do skeletons never play poker?
Because they don't have a poker face and you can always see through their ribs what cards they have in the game!)
📜 Poem about Partie
Die Sonne scheint, welch' Freudenhauch,
wir machen eine Partie auch.
Raus in die Natur, ins Grüne, Helle,
das ist des Lebens schönste Welle.
Später dann, bei Keks und Tee,
eine Partie Schach, oh je!
Der König fällt, die Dame siegt,
ein Lächeln auf den Lippen liegt.
Der Händler zeigt mit stolzem Blick,
eine Partie Stoff, welch ein Glück!
So vielseitig kann ein Wort nur sein,
die Partie, mal groß, mal klein.
(The sun shines, what a breath of joy,
we're also going on an outing.
Out into nature, into the green, the bright,
that is life's most beautiful wave.
Later then, with cookies and tea,
a game of chess, oh dear!
The king falls, the queen wins,
a smile lies upon the lips.
The merchant shows with a proud look,
a batch of fabric, what luck!
A word can be so versatile,
die Partie, sometimes big, sometimes small.)
🧩 Riddle
Ich bin ein Spiel, doch ohne Ball,
Ich bin ein Teil vom Überall.
Ich bin ein Ausflug, froh und heiter,
Und manchmal auch ein Heiratsleiter.
Was bin ich?
(I am a game, but without a ball,
I am a part of overall.
I am an outing, happy and bright,
And sometimes a marriage ladder's light.
What am I? )
(Solution: die Partie)
💡 More about Partie
Word Origin: The word "Partie" comes from the French word partie, meaning "part" or "share". This traces back to the Latin verb partire (to divide).
Compound Words: There are many compound words that clarify the meaning, e.g.:
- Schachpartie, Kartenpartie (chess game, card game)
- Landpartie (country outing)
- Warenpartie (lot of goods)
- Gesangspartie (vocal part in music)
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Partie?
The word "Partie" is always feminine. The correct article is die Partie. It has various meanings such as game, portion/lot, outing, or (marriage) match.