die
Spitze
🎯 What Exactly Does "die Spitze" Mean?
The word die Spitze (feminine) is a versatile German noun with several meanings:
- The pointed end of something: The uppermost or foremost, often tapering part of an object. Examples: die Spitze des Bleistifts (the pencil point), die Spitze des Messers (the knife point), die Nadelspitze (the needle point). 뾰족한 끝
- The summit of a mountain: The highest point of a mountain or hill. Example: Wir haben die Spitze des Berges erreicht (We reached the summit of the mountain). 산꼭대기
- The leading position / group: The foremost place or the leading group in a competition, organization, or ranking. Examples: an der Spitze der Bewegung stehen (to be at the forefront of the movement), die Spitze der Charts (the top of the charts). 선두, 정상
- Excellent performance / quality: Often used colloquially to describe something as excellent or first-rate. Examples: Das Konzert war (absolute) Spitze! (The concert was absolutely top/great!), Seine Leistung war Spitze (His performance was top-notch). 최고, 최상
- Fine fabric (textile): An openwork, often artistic fabric, usually made of linen, cotton, or silk threads, used for decoration. Example: ein Kleid mit Spitze am Kragen (a dress with lace on the collar). 레이스
🚨 Attention: The colloquial meaning "great, awesome" is often used like an adjective (Das ist spitze! - That's great!), but the noun itself is always 'die Spitze'.
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.
📚 Grammar of "die Spitze" in Detail
Die Spitze is a feminine noun. Its declension follows the regular pattern for feminine nouns.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Spitze |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Spitze |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Spitze |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Spitze |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Spitzen |
| Genitive | der | Spitzen |
| Dative | den | Spitzen |
| Accusative | die | Spitzen |
💡 Example Sentences
- Die Spitze des Eisbergs ist oft nur ein kleiner Teil des Ganzen. (The tip of the iceberg is often only a small part of the whole thing.) - Meaning: pointed end
- Sie stehen an der Spitze des Unternehmens. (They are at the head of the company.) - Meaning: leading position
- Der Bergsteiger erreichte nach Stunden endlich die Spitze. (The mountaineer finally reached the summit after hours.) - Meaning: summit
- Ihre Bluse hatte einen Kragen aus feiner Spitze. (Her blouse had a collar made of fine lace.) - Meaning: textile
- "Wie war der Film?" - "Spitze!" ("How was the movie?" - "Great! / Top!") - Colloquial meaning: excellent
🗣️ How to Use "Spitze"?
The usage of die Spitze heavily depends on its specific meaning:
- Physical point/end: Often used with prepositions like 'an der Spitze' (at the point/tip), 'auf der Spitze' (on the point/tip). Examples: an der Spitze der Nadel (at the point of the needle), auf der Spitze des Turms (on the top/spire of the tower).
- Summit: Synonym for 'der Gipfel'. Often used in the context of mountaineering or hiking (die Spitze erklimmen - to climb the summit).
- Leadership/Lead: Here, 'die Spitze' often represents the top hierarchy or the first place (an die Spitze gelangen - to get to the top, die Spitze der Tabelle - the top of the league table).
- Excellent quality: Mostly used predicatively or as an exclamation (Das Essen war spitze - The food was great.). Sounds informal and enthusiastic.
- Textile: Used in the context of fashion, crafts, and decoration (ein Tuch mit Spitze - a cloth with lace, Spitzen häkeln - to crochet lace).
Comparison:
- Die Spitze vs. Der Gipfel: Both can mean the highest point of a mountain, but 'Gipfel' is more common for this. 'Spitze' can also refer to smaller peaks or pointed ends of objects.
- Die Spitze vs. Der Höhepunkt: 'Höhepunkt' (climax, high point) refers more to the most intense or important moment of an event, whereas 'Spitze' (in the sense of leadership) denotes a position or rank.
🧠 Mnemonics for "die Spitze"
Article Mnemonic (die): Think of a female spy (die Spionin) who reaches the Spitze (top/peak) of her profession. Spies are sometimes female, helping remember the feminine 'die'. Or imagine a ballerina dancing on pointe (auf Zehenspitzen) - ballerinas are typically female, hence 'die'.
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine a sharp needle Spitze (physical point) pointing to a mountain Spitze (summit). At the Spitze (top/lead) stands a leader wearing clothes with delicate Spitze (lace), shouting "This performance is Spitze!" (excellent).
↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms
👍 Synonyms
- (Point/End): das Ende (the end), die Zinke (prong, tine), der Dorn (thorn, spike)
- (Summit): der Gipfel (summit, peak), die Kuppe (rounded top, crest), der Scheitel(punkt) (apex, vertex)
- (Leadership): die Führung (lead, leadership), der erste Platz (first place), die Leitung (management, direction), die Top-Position (top position)
- (Excellent): super, toll, klasse, prima, ausgezeichnet (excellent), exzellent (excellent)
- (Textile): die Borte (braid, trimming), die Tülle (tulle - somewhat archaic)
👎 Antonyms
- (Point/End): die Basis (base), der Grund (bottom, base), der Fuß (foot, base), das stumpfe Ende (blunt end)
- (Summit): das Tal (valley), der Fuß (des Berges) (foot/base of the mountain)
- (Leadership): das Schlusslicht (tail end, last place), der letzte Platz (last place), die Basis (base, rank and file)
- (Excellent): schlecht (bad), mies (lousy), furchtbar (terrible), ungenügend (insufficient)
- (Textile): (no direct antonym, perhaps 'glatter Stoff' - smooth fabric)
⚠️ Similar Words
😂 A Little Joke
DE: Warum nehmen Bergsteiger immer einen Bleistift mit auf die Spitze?
Damit sie ihre Eindrücke nach-zeichnen können! 😄
EN: Why do mountaineers always take a pencil to the summit (Spitze)?
So they can draw their impressions afterwards! (A pun on nachzeichnen - to draw/trace, and also containing 'zeichnen' - to draw) 😄
📜 Poem about Spitze
DE:
Ob Nadel, fein und klein,
Ob Berges höchster Schein,
Ob Führung, klar und rein,
Ob Stoff, gewebt so fein –
Die Spitze kann viel sein.
Mal hart, mal zart im Sein,
Steht oft ganz oben, nicht allein,
Ein Ziel, ein Lob – "Das ist ja spitze!" – fein!
EN:
Be it needle, fine and small,
Be it mountain's highest call,
Be it leadership, standing tall,
Be it fabric, woven for the ball –
Die Spitze can be all.
Sometimes hard, sometimes gentle thrall,
Often stands atop, enthralling all,
A goal, a praise – "That's Spitze!" – standing tall!
❓ Riddle
DE:
Ich kann auf einem Berg der höchste Punkt sein,
Auch an Omas Tischdecke, zart und fein.
Manchmal bin ich vorn im Rennen,
Und wenn etwas super ist, wird man mich nennen.
Was bin ich?
Lösung: die Spitze
EN:
I can be the highest point upon a mountain crest,
Also on Grandma's tablecloth, putting fabric to the test.
Sometimes I'm ahead when people race,
And if something's super, I'm named in that case.
What am I?
Solution: die Spitze
🧩 Further Details
Word Combinations (Compounds):
'Die Spitze' forms part of many compound words that specify its meaning:
- Bergspitze: Mountain summit/peak.
- Bleistiftspitze: Pencil point/tip.
- Speerspitze: Spearhead; also often metaphorically for the vanguard of a movement.
- Spitzendeckchen: Lace doily.
- Spitzenkandidat: The leading candidate of a party in an election.
- Spitzenleistung: Top performance, peak performance.
- Zehenspitze: Tiptoe.
Idioms (Redewendungen):
- Etwas auf die Spitze treiben: To carry something to extremes, to push something too far.
- Die Spitze des Eisbergs: The tip of the iceberg (meaning only a small visible part of a much larger issue).
- An der Spitze stehen/sein: To be at the top/lead.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Spitze?
The noun "Spitze" is always feminine. Therefore, the correct article is always die Spitze. It has multiple meanings, ranging from a physical point or summit to a leading position, fine lace fabric, and an expression for excellence.