die  Toleranz

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/toˈleːʁants/

🌍 What does "die Toleranz" mean?

Die Toleranz (noun, feminine) describes the attitude or ability to accept and endure other opinions, beliefs, customs, behaviours, or characteristics, even if they differ from one's own. It's about respect and acceptance of diversity.

In a technical or scientific context, Toleranz can also mean the permissible deviation from a standard dimension or target value (e.g., for measurements, weights, temperatures).

• Social/Ethical Meaning: Patience, forbearance, indulgence towards other people and ideas.
• Technical Meaning: Permissible range, allowable deviation.

Since only the article "die" was provided, there are no different meanings based on the article. Die Toleranz is always feminine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "die Toleranz" in Detail

The word "Toleranz" is a feminine noun. The article is always die.

📝 Example Sentences

1. Die Toleranz gegenüber anderen Kulturen ist wichtig für ein friedliches Zusammenleben.
   (Tolerance towards other cultures is important for peaceful coexistence.) - Social meaning
2. In der Fertigung müssen bestimmte Toleranzen eingehalten werden.
   (Certain tolerances must be adhered to in manufacturing.) - Technical meaning, plural
3. Er zeigte wenig Toleranz für abweichende Meinungen.
   (He showed little tolerance for differing opinions.) - Social meaning
4. Die Toleranz dieses Bauteils liegt bei ± 0,1 mm.
   (The tolerance of this component is ± 0.1 mm.) - Technical meaning, singular

💡 How to use "Toleranz"?

• Everyday / Social Context: This almost always refers to the social or ethical meaning – accepting and enduring diversity. Common phrases include "Toleranz zeigen" (to show tolerance), "Toleranz üben" (to practice tolerance), or "mangelnde Toleranz" (lack of tolerance). It's a key term in discussions about human rights, integration, and multiculturalism. Example: "Mehr Toleranz im Umgang miteinander würde viele Konflikte vermeiden." (More tolerance in dealing with each other would avoid many conflicts.)
• Technology & Science: Here, "Toleranz" refers to the allowed margin of error or permissible deviation from a standard. We talk about Messtoleranzen (measurement tolerances), Fertigungstoleranzen (manufacturing tolerances), etc. Example: "Die Maschine arbeitet innerhalb der vorgegebenen Toleranzen." (The machine operates within the specified tolerances.)
• Medicine: Sometimes the term is used in medicine, e.g., for the tolerability of a drug (Medikamententoleranz) or the immune system's reaction (Immuntoleranz).

⚠️ Risk of Confusion: Don't confuse "Toleranz" with indifference (Gleichgültigkeit). Tolerance implies active endurance and respect, even when disagreeing, while indifference expresses disinterest.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Toleranz"

Article Mnemonic: Think of a very tolerant Queen or woman. Feminine figures often embody diplomacy and tolerance – and feminine nouns take the article die. So: Die tolerante Frau hat die Toleranz.

Meaning Mnemonic: The word sounds very similar to the English word "tolerance" and the German verb "tolerieren" (to tolerate). Someone who toleriert something shows Toleranz.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar but different words:

• Respekt: Respect. Toleranz is often a prerequisite for Respekt, but not the same. You can tolerate something without respecting it (e.g., endure an opinion but not hold it in esteem).

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Mathematiker immer Toleranz gezeigt?

(Why did the mathematician always show tolerance?)

Weil er wusste, dass es ohne erlaubte Abweichungen keine Lösungen gäbe!

(Because he knew that without permissible deviations, there would be no solutions!)

(A pun on the technical meaning of tolerance)

📜 Poem about Toleranz

Die Welt ist bunt, nicht grau in grau,
(The world is colourful, not grey in grey,)
so vieles anders, sieh genau!
(So much is different, look closely!)
Was fremd dir scheint, lass einfach steh'n,
(What seems foreign to you, just let it be,)
versuch doch mal, es zu versteh'n.
(Just try to understand it.)
Die Toleranz, ein sanftes Band,
(Tolerance, a gentle bond,)
reicht Herz zu Herz und Hand in Hand.
(Reaches heart to heart and hand in hand.)
Sie öffnet Türen, baut die Brück',
(It opens doors, builds the bridge,)
und bringt uns Frieden, Stück für Stück.
(And brings us peace, bit by bit.)

❓ Riddle

Ich bin kein Maß, doch hab ich Grenzen.
(I am not a measure, yet I have limits.)
Ich fordre Respekt, auch wenn Meinungen schwänzeln.
(I demand respect, even when opinions waver.)
Ich lebe in Gesellschaft, in Technik und Norm,
(I live in society, in technology and standards,)
und helfe bewahren die friedliche Form.
(And help preserve the peaceful form.)

Was bin ich? / (What am I?)

Lösung / Solution: die Toleranz

🧩 Other Information

• Word Origin (Etymology): The word "Toleranz" comes from the Latin verb tolerare, meaning "to bear", "to endure", or "to tolerate".
• Word Family:
  • Adjective: tolerant
  • Verb: tolerieren
  • Antonym (Noun): die Intoleranz
  • Antonym (Adjective): intolerant
• International Significance: The concept of "Toleranz" is known in many languages as a loanword or in a similar form (e.g., English tolerance, French tolérance, Spanish tolerancia), highlighting its universal importance.