die  Unterbringung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈʊntɐbʁɪŋʊŋ/

🏠 What does "die Unterbringung" mean?

Die Unterbringung is a feminine noun and generally refers to the provision of a place or accommodation for people, animals, or things. It has several related meanings:

• Accommodation / Lodging: A place to sleep or live, often temporarily (e.g., in a Hotel, a Jugendherberge - youth hostel).
• Placement: Finding a suitable place for someone or something (e.g., the Unterbringung von Kindern - placement of children in foster care, the Unterbringung von Waren - storage of goods in a warehouse).
• Housing / Sheltering: Taking in and caring for guests or people seeking protection (e.g., the Unterbringung von Flüchtlingen - housing of refugees).

It describes both the process of accommodating or placing (das Unterbringen) and the result, i.e., the place itself.

⚠️ Be careful not to confuse it with "die Unterbrechung" (interruption).

Article rules for der, die, and das

📚 Grammar in Detail: Die Unterbringung

The word "Unterbringung" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always die.

Tip: Nouns ending in -ung are almost always feminine in German.

Declension (Deklination)

Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)

1. Die Unterbringung im Hotel war sehr komfortabel.
   (The accommodation in the hotel was very comfortable.)
2. Die Gemeinde kümmert sich um die Unterbringung der Geflüchteten.
   (The community takes care of the housing for the refugees.)
3. Wir suchen nach einer geeigneten Unterbringung für unsere Katze während des Urlaubs.
   (We are looking for suitable accommodation/boarding for our cat during the vacation.)
4. Die sichere Unterbringung der Akten ist gewährleistet.
   (The secure storage/placement of the files is guaranteed.)

🗣️ How to Use "die Unterbringung"?

"Die Unterbringung" is used in various contexts:

• Reisen und Tourismus (Travel and Tourism): Here, it mostly refers to Hotels, Pensionen (guesthouses), Ferienwohnungen (holiday apartments), etc. Example: "Die Kosten für die Unterbringung sind im Reisepreis enthalten." (The costs for the accommodation are included in the travel price.)
• Sozialwesen und Verwaltung (Social Services and Administration): Often used in relation to providing for people in need (children, seniors, refugees, homeless individuals). Example: "Die Unterbringung in einer betreuten Wohngruppe war die beste Lösung." (Placement in assisted living was the best solution.)
• Logistik und Organisation (Logistics and Organization): Can also refer to the placement or storage of objects. Example: "Die Unterbringung der neuen Maschinen erfordert mehr Platz." (The placement/housing of the new machines requires more space.)
• Tierhaltung (Animal Keeping): How animals are kept. Example: "Eine artgerechte Unterbringung für die Tiere ist wichtig." (Appropriate housing for the animals is important.)

Compared to "die Unterkunft" (accommodation, shelter), "die Unterbringung" often emphasizes the process of finding or providing a place, or the organizational aspect of it more strongly. "Die Unterkunft" usually refers more directly to the physical place itself.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ung (like Unterbringung) are almost always feminine in German. Think of the caring (die SorgUNG - also ends in -ung) needed for arranging die Unterbringung. Imagine a caring mother (feminine!) finding shelter.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the English phrase "to bring under a roof". The German word is built similarly: unter (under) + bringen (to bring). You bring someone or something under cover = die Unterbringung.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Hotelgast an der Rezeption: "Ist die Unterbringung hier all-inclusive?"
Antwortet der Rezeptionist: "Nein, nur das Dach über dem Kopf. Für alles andere müssen Sie unter Ihr Kissen schauen!"

Translation: The hotel guest asks at the reception: "Is the accommodation here all-inclusive?"
The receptionist replies: "No, only the roof over your head. For everything else, you have to look under your pillow!"

📜 A Little Poem

Ein Dach überm Kopf, ein warmes Bett,
das wünscht sich jeder, keine Frage, nett.
Ob Mensch, ob Tier, ob Koffer schwer,
die Unterbringung braucht man sehr.
Ein Platz zum Sein, zum Rasten, Schlafen,
organisiert von klugen Grafen...
...oder einfach nur gebucht,
wenn man 'ne Bleibe hat gesucht.

Translation:
A roof overhead, a warm bed,
everyone wishes for that, no question, it's nice.
Whether person, animal, or heavy suitcase,
accommodation (die Unterbringung) is needed very much.
A place to be, to rest, to sleep,
organized by clever counts...
...or simply just booked,
when one has looked for a place to stay.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin der Ort, ich bin der Akt,
wenn jemand Schutz und Bleibe packt.
Für Reisende ein Bett im Nu,
für Flüchtlinge ein Heim dazu.
Auch Akten finden Platz durch mich,
was bin ich wohl, nun rate dich!

Translation:
I am the place, I am the act,
when someone finds shelter and grabs a stay.
For travelers, a bed in a jiffy,
for refugees, a home thereto.
Even files find space through me,
what am I, now guess!

Solution: die Unterbringung (accommodation/placement)

💡 Other Information

Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):

The word "Unterbringung" is a noun derived from the verb "unterbringen" (to accommodate, to place). It consists of:

• Prefix: unter- (indicates a position or goal, 'under')
• Stem Verb: bringen (to bring)
• Suffix: -ung (forms nouns from verbs, usually feminine, often denoting a process or its result)

So, literally: The process or result of "bringing something under" shelter or into a place.