die
Portion
🍽️ What exactly is a 'Portion'?
Die Portion (noun, feminine) refers to a divided part of a whole. Most commonly, it refers to a specific amount of food or drink intended for one person (eine Essensportion - a serving of food).
Other meanings can include:
- A share or part of something (e.g., eine Portion Glück - a portion of luck).
- A specific dose or amount (e.g., eine Portion Arbeit - a portion of work).
Since the word only takes the article 'die', there's no risk of confusion due to different articles. 🥳 (No tricky gender changes here!)
📐 Grammar in Detail: Die Portion
The noun "Portion" is feminine. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Portion |
| Genitive | der | Portion |
| Dative | der | Portion |
| Accusative | die | Portion |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Portionen |
| Genitive | der | Portionen |
| Dative | den | Portionen |
| Accusative | die | Portionen |
📝 Grammar Examples
- Ich hätte gern eine Portion Pommes. (I would like a portion of fries. - Accusative Singular)
- Der Preis der Portion ist angemessen. (The price of the portion is reasonable. - Genitive Singular)
- Gib mir bitte von der Portion ab! (Please give me some of the portion! - Dative Singular)
- Wir bestellen zwei große Portionen Salat. (We are ordering two large portions of salad. - Accusative Plural)
- Mit den Portionen waren alle zufrieden. (Everyone was happy with the portions. - Dative Plural)
💡 How to Use 'die Portion'?
"Die Portion" is very frequently used in the context of food and drinks:
- In a restaurant: "Eine Portion Spaghetti, bitte!" ("A portion of spaghetti, please!")
- When cooking: "Das Rezept ist für vier Portionen gedacht." ("The recipe is intended for four portions.")
- Colloquially: "Ich habe mir noch eine kleine Portion Eis gegönnt." ("I treated myself to another small portion of ice cream.")
However, it can also be used more abstractly to express a part or an amount:
- "Für dieses Projekt braucht man eine große Portion Geduld." ("This project requires a large portion of patience.")
- "Jeder bekommt seine Portion Arbeit zugewiesen." ("Everyone is assigned their portion of work.")
- "Er hatte auch eine gehörige Portion Glück." ("He also had a considerable portion of luck.")
Distinction: While Teil (part) or Anteil (share) are more general, Portion often refers more specifically to something divided, measured, or allocated, especially with food.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Portion'
- Article Mnemonic: Imagine a queen (feminine -> die) elegantly eating a small Portion of cake. 👑🍰 Remember: 'die' for the lady!
- Meaning Mnemonic: A Portion sounds like 'potion', and you often get a measured *portion* or *dose* of a potion. Think of getting your *portion* of food like a magic *potion* giving you energy.
Think: The portion is for 'die' Queen!
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Portion
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Anteil: A more general term for a part or share of something.
- Teil: Very general, a piece of a whole.
- Ration: Often a fixed, allocated amount (e.g., food ration - Essensration).
- Dosis: Usually for medicine or something that has an effect in a certain quantity (e.g., eine Dosis Glück - a dose of luck).
- Menge: A more indefinite word for a quantity.
- Stück: Often for solid items (ein Stück Kuchen - a piece of cake - can be a portion).
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Ganzes: The whole object or quantity.
- Gesamtheit: The entirety, the sum of all parts.
⚠️ Caution: "Die Rate" (installment) sounds somewhat similar but has a completely different meaning (partial payment).
😂 A Little Joke
Fragt der Kellner den Gast: "War die Portion ausreichend?" Gast: "Ja, danke. Aber warum fragen Sie? War noch etwas übrig?"
Translation:
The waiter asks the guest: "Was the portion sufficient?"
Guest: "Yes, thank you. But why do you ask? Was there some left over?"
📜 Poem about the Portion
Die Portion, schön abgeteilt,
Auf dem Teller, nicht zerstreut.
Mal groß, mal klein, mal süß, mal herb,
Für jeden Hunger, jeden Zwerg.
Ein Teil vom Ganzen, wohl bedacht,
Eine Portion für Tag und Nacht.
Translation:
The portion, nicely divided,
On the plate, not scattered wide.
Sometimes large, sometimes small, sweet, or tart,
For every hunger, every dwarf's heart.
A part of the whole, well considered,
A portion for day and night delivered.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich bin ein Teil, doch nicht das Ganze,
Oft auf dem Teller, bei Fest und Tanze.
Man misst mich ab für hungrigen Magen,
Sag, wie wird dieser Teil genannt, in allen Lagen?
Translation:
I am a part, but not the whole,
Often on the plate, at feasts that extol.
I'm measured out for hungry stomachs' pleas,
Tell me, what is this part called, if you please?
Solution: die Portion
✨ More about 'die Portion'
- Word Origin: The word "Portion" comes from the French portion, which in turn goes back to the Latin word portio (part, share).
- Verb: There is a verb "portionieren", which means to divide something into portions (e.g., Essen portionieren - to portion food).
- Compounds: You often find compound words like "Kinderportion" (children's portion), "Seniorenportion" (senior's portion), "Doppelportion" (double portion), or "Portionsgröße" (portion size).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Portion?
The German word Portion is always feminine. The correct article is exclusively die. Therefore, it is always die Portion (Nominative Singular), der Portion (Genitive/Dative Singular), die Portion (Accusative Singular), and die Portionen (Nominative/Accusative Plural).