die  Reproduktion

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʁepʁoduˈkʦi̯oːn/

🧬 What exactly does "die Reproduktion" mean?

The noun die Reproduktion (feminine) has several meanings centered around the concept of 'producing again' or 'copying':

• Biological reproduction: The creation of offspring in living beings (humans, animals, plants). It's a synonym for Fortpflanzung or Vermehrung. Example: Die Reproduktion von Bakterien erfolgt durch Zellteilung. (The reproduction of bacteria occurs through cell division.)
• Creation of a copy: Making a replica or duplicate, often in a technical or artistic context. Example: Die Reproduktion des Gemäldes war von hoher Qualität. (The reproduction of the painting was of high quality.)
• Playback/Rendering: The rendering or playback of sounds, images, or data. Example: Die Reproduktion der alten Tonaufnahme war erstaunlich klar. (The reproduction of the old sound recording was surprisingly clear.)

🚨 Because the word ends in "-tion", like most words with this ending in German, it is feminine: die Reproduktion.

🧐 Grammar of "die Reproduktion" in Detail

"Reproduktion" is a feminine noun. Here is the declension in the singular. The plural ("die Reproduktionen") is used less frequently and usually refers to multiple processes of reproduction or multiple copies.

💡 Example Sentences

• Die sexuelle Reproduktion sorgt für genetische Vielfalt. (Sexual reproduction ensures genetic diversity.)
• Das Museum verkauft hochwertige Reproduktionen berühmter Kunstwerke. (The museum sells high-quality reproductions of famous artworks.)
• Die digitale Reproduktion von Musik hat die Industrie verändert. (The digital reproduction of music has changed the industry.)
• Die Reproduktion der Forschungsergebnisse war nicht erfolgreich. (The reproduction of the research results was not successful.)

Context: When to use "die Reproduktion"?

The term die Reproduktion is rather formal and often used in scientific, technical, or artistic contexts.

• Biology/Medicine: Here, it's a technical term for Fortpflanzung (procreation) or Vermehrung (propagation), e.g., Reproduktionsmedizin (reproductive medicine).
• Art/Museums: Refers to a copy or replica of an artwork. A Reproduktion is often considered higher quality than a simple Kopie (copy).
• Technology/Media: Used when talking about the duplication or playback of data, sound, or images (e.g., Farbreproduktion - color reproduction, Tonreproduktion - sound reproduction).
• Science: Can also mean the repetition of an experiment to verify results (Reproduzierbarkeit - reproducibility).

In everyday language, people are more likely to say Fortpflanzung or Vermehrung for biological reproduction. For copies, they often just say Kopie or Nachbildung (replica).

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Reproduktion"

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -tion in German are almost always feminine (die). Think of: die Information, die Organisation, die Situation... and of course, die Reproduktion. It's *the* function of life to reproduce.

Meaning Mnemonic: Re-Produktion means "again (re) produce (Produktion)". Whether it's about living beings (offspring) or copies of things, something is being produced again.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Produktion means the creation of something new, while Reproduktion means the re-creation or copying of something existing.

😄 A little Joke

Warum sind Kopierer so schlecht im Versteckspiel?
Weil sie immer eine Reproduktion hinterlassen!

(Why are photocopiers so bad at hide-and-seek?
Because they always leave a reproduction behind!)

✍️ Poem about Reproduktion

Ob Zelle klein, ob Meisterwerk,
Die Reproduktion, ein starkes Bergwerk.
Leben neu, Kopie so klar,
Sie schafft, was ist und was schon war.
Mal Kunst, mal Kind, mal Datenfluss,
Ein ewiger Kreislauf, kein Verdruss.
Die Schöpfung neu, in alter Spur,
Das ist die Reproduktion, pur.

(Whether tiny cell or masterpiece grand,
Reproduction works across the land.
New life begun, a copy clear,
It creates what is and what was dear.
Sometimes art, sometimes child, sometimes data stream,
An eternal cycle, a living dream.
Creation renewed, in the old way's lure,
That is die Reproduktion, pure.)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich schaffe Leben, Zelle für Zelle,
Ich kopiere Kunst, schnell auf die Schnelle.
Ich wiederhole Töne und auch Bild,
Bin in der Technik und im Wald ganz wild.

Was bin ich, feminin und oft studiert,
Damit Altes neu wird präsentiert?

(I create life, cell by cell,
I copy art, quickly and well.
I repeat sounds and images too,
In technology and forests, wild and new.

What am I, feminine and often studied,
So that the old is newly presented?)

Solution: die Reproduktion

🌐 Other Information

Word Composition: The word comes from the Latin reproductio, meaning "bringing forth again". It is composed of re- (again) and productio (a bringing forth, production).

Related Terms:

• Reproduktionsmedizin (reproductive medicine)
• Reproduktionsrate (reproduction rate - statistics, biology)
• Reproduktionszyklus (reproductive cycle - biology)
• Reproduktionstechnik (reproduction technology/technique - technology, art)
• Reproduzierbarkeit (reproducibility - science)