die  Spannung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/zɪ ˈʃpanʊŋ/

⚡ What does "die Spannung" mean?

Die Spannung is a feminine noun with several meanings, often revolving around a feeling of being stretched, tense, or expectant, or a physical state:

• Physical Tension/Voltage:
  • 🔌 Electrical Voltage: The difference in electric potential between two points (measured in Volt). Example: Die Steckdose hat eine Spannung von 230 Volt. (The socket has a voltage of 230 volts.)
  • 🔩 Mechanical Stress/Tension: A force acting on an object, causing it to stretch or compress. Example: Die Spannung im Seil war enorm. (The tension in the rope was enormous.)
• Emotional/Psychological Tension:
  • 😟 Tension, Nervousness: A state of inner unrest or excitement. Example: Vor der Prüfung herrschte große Spannung. (There was great tension before the exam.)
  • 🤩 Suspense, Anticipation, Curiosity: The tense waiting for the outcome of a situation, often in stories or films. Example: Der Film baute die Spannung langsam auf. (The movie slowly built up the suspense.)
• Social Tension:
  • 😠 Conflict, Friction: A tense relationship between people or groups. Example: Es gab politische Spannungen zwischen den Ländern. (There were political tensions between the countries.)

🚨 Despite the different meanings, the article is always die.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: die Spannung

"Spannung" is a feminine noun. The plural is "die Spannungen", but it's not used equally often for all meanings. Electrical or mechanical tensions can be plural, while emotional tension is often uncountable or described differently.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der Techniker maß die Spannung an der Batterie.
   (The technician measured the voltage at the battery.)
2. Die Spannung vor dem Finale war kaum auszuhalten.
   (The tension before the final was almost unbearable.)
3. Der Autor erzeugt durch kurze Kapitel hohe Spannung.
   (The author creates high suspense through short chapters.)
4. Zwischen den Kollegen gab es merkliche Spannungen.
   (There were noticeable tensions between the colleagues.)
5. Das Material steht unter starker mechanischer Spannung.
   (The material is under strong mechanical stress/tension.)

How is "Spannung" used? 🤔

The context determines the meaning of "Spannung".

• In a technical context, it refers to elektrische Spannung (electrical voltage) or mechanische Spannung (mechanical stress/tension). Common terms include Hochspannung (high voltage) or Niederspannung (low voltage).
• In an emotional context, it often describes feelings like Nervosität (nervousness) or Erwartung (anticipation). You can unter Spannung stehen (be under tension/stress) or Spannung abbauen (relieve tension).
• In literature and film, dramaturgische Spannung (suspense) is key. A Spannungsbogen (story arc, tension arc) describes the development of suspense in a narrative.
• Regarding conflicts, one speaks of soziale oder politische Spannungen (social or political tensions).

Distinction from similar words:

• Anspannung: Similar to emotional tension, often more focused on physical or mental strain. Die Anspannung vor der Rede war groß. (The tension/strain before the speech was high.)
• Aufregung: More like excitement (positive or negative), not necessarily linked to (negative) tension.

The plural "Spannungen" is mostly used for conflicts or physical measurements, less commonly for emotional states.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Spannung"

• Article Mnemonic: Many German nouns ending in -ung are feminine (die). Think of: die Achtung (attention), die Meinung (opinion), die Übung (exercise) – and also die Spannung! It's a rule (Regelung)!

• Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine stretching (spannen) a rubber band. It has mechanical Spannung. Waiting for it to snap creates emotional Spannung (suspense/tension). If it hits someone, it might cause social Spannung (conflict)! The core idea of 'stretching' or 'being taut' connects the meanings. Or think of electrical wire: it carries electrical Spannung (voltage), it might make you feel tense (emotional Spannung), and overloaded wires can cause conflict (social Spannung).

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Misleading Words

• Spannweite: Range or span (difference between max and min values, or distance like wingspan).
• Spanner: Someone who tightens something (e.g., a rope) OR (colloquial, negative) a peeping Tom/voyeur.

😂 A Little Joke

German: Fragt der eine Elektriker den anderen: "Na, wie ist die Spannung heute?" Antwortet der andere: "Och, geladen wie immer!"

English: One electrician asks the other: "Well, how's the tension/voltage (Spannung) today?" The other replies: "Oh, charged up (geladen) as always!" (It's a pun: "geladen" means both electrically charged and emotionally tense/"loaded".)

✍️ Poem about Spannung

German:
Ein Knistern liegt hier in der Luft,
Ein leiser, unbestimmter Duft.
Die Nerven blank, das Herz schlägt schnell,
Erwartung macht die Sinne hell.
Im Krimi steigt sie, Seite um Seit',
Bis Auflösung die Wahrheit zeigt.
Ob Strom, Gefühl, ob Streit entbrannt,
Die Spannung hält uns fest gebannt.

English Translation:
A crackle hangs here in the air,
A soft, indefinite scent to share.
The nerves are raw, the heart beats fast,
Anticipation makes senses last.
In thrillers it climbs, page after page,
Till resolution sets the stage.
Be it current, feeling, or conflict's brand,
The tension/suspense holds us tightly in hand.

❓ Riddle

German:
Ich kann Volt haben, doch bin kein Blitz.
Ich kann im Krimi sitzen, als wär's ein Witz.
Ich kann zwischen Menschen für Reibung sorgen,
Und halte dich wach bis zum frühen Morgen.

Was bin ich?

English Translation:
I can have volts, but I'm not lightning.
I can sit in a thriller, as if it were trifling.
I can cause friction between people anew,
And keep you awake the whole night through.

What am I? (Solution: die Spannung - tension/suspense/voltage)

🌐 Other Information

Word Formation (Wortbildung):

"Spannung" derives from the verb spannen (to stretch, tighten, span). The suffix -ung is commonly used in German to form nouns from verbs, and these nouns are typically feminine (e.g., warnen -> die Warnung (warning), üben -> die Übung (exercise)).

Related Terms (Verwandte Begriffe):

• Spannungsabfall: Voltage drop.
• Spannungsbogen: Tension arc or story arc in a narrative.
• Entspannung: Relaxation (the opposite of Spannung).
• Überspannung: Overvoltage (too high electrical voltage).