die  Peripherie

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/peʁiˈfeːʁi̯ə/

🗺️ What does 'die Peripherie' mean exactly?

'Die Peripherie' is a feminine noun and generally refers to an outer area, edge area, or fringe zone. It primarily has two fields of meaning:

• Geographical/Social: The outer edge of a city, area, or region, often contrasted with the center or core. Example: Wohnen in der Peripherie kann ruhiger, aber auch schlechter angebunden sein. (Living on the periphery can be quieter, but also less well-connected.)
• Technical (IT): Devices connected to a computer but not part of its core unit (CPU, memory). This includes printers, mice, keyboards, monitors, etc. These are often called Peripheriegeräte (peripheral devices). Example: Für das Homeoffice brauche ich noch einige Peripheriegeräte. (I still need some peripheral devices for my home office.)

🚨 There are no other articles for this word; it is always 'die Peripherie'.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar Deep Dive: die Peripherie

'Die Peripherie' is a feminine noun. The plural is 'die Peripherien'.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

Example Sentences

1. Die Industrie siedelte sich bevorzugt in der Peripherie der Stadt an. (Industry preferred to settle on the periphery of the city.)
2. Die Analyse konzentrierte sich nicht nur auf das Zentrum, sondern auch auf die Peripherie. (The analysis focused not only on the center but also on the periphery.)
3. Welche Peripherie ist mit deinem Laptop kompatibel? (Which peripherals are compatible with your laptop?)
4. Wir müssen neue Drucker für die Peripherie anschaffen. (We need to purchase new printers for the periphery/as peripherals.)

🗣️ How to Use 'die Peripherie' in Conversation

'Die Peripherie' is frequently used in contexts such as urban planning, geography, sociology, and information technology (IT).

• In the geographical sense, it describes areas far from the center (e.g., Stadtrand - city outskirts, Umland - surrounding area). It can sometimes carry a slightly negative connotation (remote, neglected), but also positive ones (quiet, close to nature).
• In IT, 'Peripherie' refers to external hardware components (Peripheriegeräte - peripheral devices). The term here is neutral and descriptive.

Comparison:

• Rand: Similar, but often refers to a more direct and smaller edge (e.g., der Rand des Tisches - the edge of the table, der Rand der Gesellschaft - the fringe of society). 'Peripherie' often implies a larger area or a technical context.
• Umland: Specifically refers to the area surrounding a city. 'Peripherie' can be more abstract or apply to technical contexts.
• Zentrum/Kern: The direct antonyms of 'Peripherie' (center/core).

🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Peripherie'

Article Mnemonic: Think of die Stadtgrenze (the city limit) or die Umgebung (the surroundings) – both are feminine (die) and describe areas associated with the periphery. Therefore, it's die Peripherie.

Meaning Mnemonic: The word sounds like English "peripheral". Imagine seeing something with your peripheral vision – that's at the edge of your field of view, in the periphery. Or think of a periscope, which lets you look over the edge of something.

↔️ Opposites & Similarities: Synonyms and Antonyms

Misleading words: Don't confuse it with 'Peripetie' (peripeteia, turning point in a drama)!

😂 A Little Joke on the Side

German: Warum hat der Computer kalte Füße? Weil er zu lange in der Windows-Peripherie stand!

English: Why did the computer have cold feet? Because it stood too long in the Windows periphery! (A pun on 'periphery' and being outside/in the cold).

✍️ Poem: Life on the Edge

German:
Am Rande der Stadt, wo Lichter verwehen,
Liegt die Peripherie, still und schön anzusehen.
Hier endet der Trubel, die Hektik, der Lärm,
Ein Ort der Ruhe, fernab vom Schwarm.

Auch Technik hat Ränder, Drucker und Maus,
Gehören zur Peripherie, am Computer zu Haus.

English Translation:
On the edge of the city, where lights fade away,
Lies the periphery, quiet and lovely to display.
Here ends the hustle, the rush, and the noise,
A place of calm, far from the crowd's voice.

Technology too has edges, printer and mouse,
Belong to the periphery, at the computer's house.

❓ Riddle Me This: What am I?

German:
Ich liege am Rand, doch bin nicht unwichtig.
Mal bin ich ein Ort, mal technisch und tüchtig.
Man schließt mich an oder fährt zu mir hin.
Sag schnell, was ich wohl bin?

Lösung: die Peripherie

English Translation:
I lie on the edge, but I'm not unimportant.
Sometimes I'm a place, sometimes technical and efficient.
You connect me or travel towards me.
Tell me quickly, what might I be?

Answer: die Peripherie (the periphery)

💡 Interesting Facts about die Peripherie

Word Origin (Etymology):

The word 'Peripherie' comes from the Greek word περιφέρεια (periphéreia), meaning “circumference” or “perimeter”. It is composed of peri- (“around”) and phérein (“to carry”). So, it originally described something that is “carried around” or located on the outer edge.

Compounds (Wortzusammensetzungen):

You often find the word in compounds such as:

• Peripheriegerät (peripheral device)
• Peripheriebereich (peripheral area)
• Peripheriesehen (peripheral vision, med./psych.)