die
Sekunde
⏱️ What exactly is a Sekunde?
Die Sekunde (noun, feminine) is primarily a fundamental unit of time in the International System of Units (SI). It corresponds to 1/60th of a minute.
In everyday language, die Sekunde also refers to a very short moment or instant.
- Meaning 1: Unit of time (1/60 minute). Example: Ein Rennen wurde um wenige Sekunden entschieden. (A race was decided by a few seconds.)
- Meaning 2: Short moment, instant. Example: Warte mal eine Sekunde! (Wait a second!)
🚨 There is only the feminine article die for this word.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
Time → mostly feminine.
There are many exceptions, e.g. the entire category "Weekdays, months, seasons" (masculine/der).
🕰️ Grammar: Die Sekunde in Detail
The word "Sekunde" is a feminine noun. Here are the declension tables:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Sekunde |
| Genitive | der | Sekunde |
| Dative | der | Sekunde |
| Accusative | die | Sekunde |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Sekunden |
| Genitive | der | Sekunden |
| Dative | den | Sekunden |
| Accusative | die | Sekunden |
Example Sentences
- Die letzte Sekunde des Spiels war entscheidend. (The last second of the game was decisive. - Nominative Singular)
- Innerhalb einer Sekunde war er verschwunden. (He disappeared within a second. - Genitive Singular, though often replaced by dative 'in einer Sekunde')
- Gib mir bitte noch eine Sekunde Zeit. (Please give me another second. - Dative/Accusative Singular, common time expression)
- Er brauchte nur wenige Sekunden für die Antwort. (He only needed a few seconds for the answer. - Accusative Plural)
- Nach wenigen Sekunden begann es zu regnen. (After a few seconds, it started to rain. - Dative Plural)
🏃♀️ How to use "Sekunde"?
- Time Measurement: The most precise use is in physics and technology to indicate exact durations. (e.g., Die Reaktionszeit beträgt 0,1 Sekunden. - The reaction time is 0.1 seconds.)
- Everyday Language (short moment): Very often, "Sekunde" is used metaphorically for a short, indefinite period. (e.g., "Ich bin in einer Sekunde zurück!" - usually means: back very soon.)
- Requesting Attention: Often used to briefly ask someone for patience or attention. (e.g., "Eine Sekunde, bitte!" - One second, please!)
- Comparisons: "Im Sekundentakt" means happening in very quick succession.
⚠️ Don't confuse "Sekunde" with "Moment" or "Augenblick". Although often used synonymously, die Sekunde is the specific unit of time.
🧠 Mnemonics for Sekunde
For the article 'die': Think of the English word "the". The feminine article "die" sounds a bit like "the". Also, imagine a fancy watch (die Uhr) ticking away die Sekunden.
For the meaning: It sounds very similar to the English word "second" and means the same. A **Se**riously **cun**ning **de**tective solves the case in a **Sekunde**!
↔️ Opposites and Similar Words
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Augenblick: A very short moment (more figurative).
- Moment: A short period of time (slightly longer than Augenblick).
- Weilchen: A short, indefinite period of time.
Similar Words (Be careful!):
- Sekundant: A person assisting a participant in a duel or contest (masculine: der Sekundant). Has nothing to do with the unit of time.
😂 A Little Time Joke
Lehrer: "Was ist kürzer, eine Minute oder eine Sekunde?"
Fritzchen: "Kommt drauf an, ob man vor oder hinter der Klotür steht!" 😄
Translation:
Teacher: "What is shorter, a minute or a second?"
Little Fritz: "Depends whether you are in front of or behind the bathroom door!" 😄
📜 Poem about Time
Die Sekunde flitzt, so klein,
fängt den nächsten Augenblick schon ein.
Sechzig mal, dann ist's vollbracht,
eine Minute still erwacht.
Drum nutze sie, die kleine Frist,
weil Zeit das Wertvollste ist.
Translation:
The second flits, so small,
already catching the next moment's call.
Sixty times, then it's complete,
a minute awakens, quiet and sweet.
So use it, this briefest stay,
for time's the most precious thing today.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich bin kurz, doch messbar klein,
\passe sechzig Mal in die Minute rein.
Man bittet oft um mich Geduld,
trotz meiner kurzen Unschuld.
Was bin ich?
Translation:
I am short, yet measurably small,
I fit sixty times into a minute for all.
People often ask for patience 'for me',
despite my brief innocency.
What am I?
Lösung/Solution: die Sekunde (the second)
🧐 More about Die Sekunde
- Etymology: The word comes from the Latin phrase "pars minuta secunda", meaning "second small part (of the hour)" (following the minute as the first small part).
- Compound words: There are many compound words, such as Sekundenzeiger (second hand on a clock), Millisekunde (millisecond), Nanosekunde (nanosecond), Sekundenschlaf (microsleep).
- Physics Definition: Since 1967, the second has been defined as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom. Phew! 😅
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Sekunde?
The word "Sekunde" is always feminine. The correct article is exclusively die Sekunde.