die
Schreinerei
What does 'Schreinerei' mean? 🪵
Die Schreinerei (feminine noun, plural: die Schreinereien) primarily refers to the workshop of a Schreiner (joiner/carpenter). It's the place where furniture is made, woodworking is done, building components like windows and doors are produced, or repairs on wooden objects are carried out.
It signifies the place where the craft of joinery/carpentry is practiced. The term can also refer to the craft business itself.
There are regional differences: In Northern and Eastern Germany, the term Tischlerei is more common, while Schreinerei is primarily used in Southern and Western Germany, as well as in Austria and Switzerland. However, the activity and the place are essentially identical.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ei → mostly feminine.
German Grammar: 'Die Schreinerei' in Detail 📐
The word "Schreinerei" is a feminine noun. The article is "die". Nouns ending in "-ei" that denote a business or activity are almost always feminine.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Schreinerei |
| Genitive | der | Schreinerei |
| Dative | der | Schreinerei |
| Accusative | die | Schreinerei |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Schreinereien |
| Genitive | der | Schreinereien |
| Dative | den | Schreinereien |
| Accusative | die | Schreinereien |
Example Sentences
- Die örtliche Schreinerei hat wunderschöne Holzmöbel hergestellt.
(The local joinery made beautiful wooden furniture.) - Er arbeitet seit zehn Jahren in dieser Schreinerei.
(He has been working in this carpenter's shop for ten years.) - Wir müssen das kaputte Fenster zur Schreinerei bringen.
(We need to take the broken window to the joinery.) - Der Geruch von frischem Holz erfüllt die Schreinerei.
(The smell of fresh wood fills the workshop.)
Usage in Context 🛠️
The term "Schreinerei" is used when talking about the place where woodworking is done, or about the business itself.
- Craft Context: "Ich suche eine gute Schreinerei für maßgefertigte Einbauschränke." (I'm looking for a good joinery for custom-made built-in wardrobes.)
- Workplace Context: "Sein Vater hat eine eigene Schreinerei auf dem Land." (His father has his own carpenter's shop in the countryside.)
- Regional Synonyms: As mentioned, *Tischlerei* is preferred in some regions. Both terms are widely understood. "Schreinerei" derives from *Schreiner*, "Tischlerei" from *Tischler* (both mean joiner/carpenter).
- Distinction: A *Schreinerei* is more specific than a general *Werkstatt* (workshop). It specializes in wood processing. It's distinct from, for example, a *Schlosserei* (metal workshop/locksmith) or a *Töpferei* (pottery).
Memory Aids for 'die Schreinerei' 🤔
-
Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ei referring to a place or business (Bäckerei - bakery, Metzgerei - butcher's shop, Bücherei - library) are almost always feminine (die). Think: The feminine suffix "-ei" often indicates a place, so you go *to* die Schreinerei.
-
Meaning Mnemonic: A Schrein in German can mean a shrine or a cabinet, often intricately made of wood. Imagine the Schreinerei as the workshop where these elaborate *Schreine* (or furniture) are built – a workshop full of 'shrines'.
Similar and Contrasting Terms 🔄
Synonyms
- Tischlerei: (Often a regional synonym, esp. Northern/Eastern Germany)
- Holzwerkstatt: (Wood workshop - more general, emphasizes the material)
- Möbelwerkstatt: (Furniture workshop - more specific focus)
- Schreinerwerkstatt / Tischlerwerkstatt: (Carpenter's workshop - explicit link to the craftsman)
Antonyms (Workshops for other materials)
- Metallwerkstatt / Schlosserei: (Metal workshop / locksmith's shop)
- Töpferei: (Pottery workshop)
- Schneiderei: (Tailor's shop)
Similar, but Different Words
A Little Wood Joke 😄
Kunde zum Schreiner: "Haben Sie etwas gegen Motten?"
Schreiner: "Ja, Sägemehl!"
(Customer to carpenter: "Do you have something against moths?"
Carpenter: "Yes, sawdust!")
(Note: This is a pun. 'Etwas gegen Motten haben' can mean 'Do you have something to use against moths?' or 'Do you have an objection to moths?'. The carpenter pretends to misunderstand.)
Poem about the 'Schreinerei' 📜
In der Schreinerei, oh wie fein,
riecht's nach Holz und Harz und Leim.
Säge singt, Hobel gleitet,
Handwerkskunst wird hier bereitet.
Aus 'nem Brett, rau und schlicht,
wird ein Möbel, licht und dicht.
Stuhl und Tisch und auch ein Schrank,
dank des Schreiners, Gott sei Dank!
(In the joinery, oh so fine,
it smells of wood and resin and glue.
The saw sings, the plane glides,
craftsmanship is prepared here.
From a board, rough and plain,
becomes furniture, light and dense.
Chair and table and also a cabinet,
thanks to the carpenter, thank God!)
Who or What Am I? 🤔
Ich bin ein Ort, doch kein Zuhaus,
hier gehen Handwerker ein und aus.
Es riecht nach Sägespänen fein,
Möbel entstehen hier, groß und klein.
Man nennt mich auch Tischlerei,
was bin ich wohl? Rat' mal, sei frei!
(I am a place, but not a home,
craftsmen come and go here.
It smells finely of sawdust,
furniture is created here, big and small.
I am also called 'Tischlerei',
what might I be? Guess freely!)
Solution: die Schreinerei (the joinery / carpenter's workshop)
Trivia & Word Formation 🤓
Word Formation
The word "Schreinerei" is derived from the noun "Schreiner" using the suffix "-ei".
- Schreiner: The craftsman who works with wood (joiner/carpenter). The word comes from Old High German "scrinari", referring to the maker of *Schreine* (boxes, chests).
- -ei: This suffix is often used to denote a place where a specific activity is performed or which is associated with a certain group of people (e.g., *Bäckerei* - bakery, *Metzgerei* - butcher's shop, *Polizei* - police station/force). It often gives the word a feminine grammatical gender.
Trivia
Joinery/carpentry is one of the oldest crafts in the world. Wood has always been a central material for tools, buildings, and furniture.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Schreinerei?
The word "Schreinerei" is feminine. The correct article is die Schreinerei. It refers to a joiner's or carpenter's workshop, or the craft business itself.