die
Vergabe
📜 What does 'die Vergabe' mean?
Die Vergabe (noun, feminine) refers to the act of awarding, allocating, assigning, or granting something. This often happens in a formal or official context and can apply to various things:
- Contracts: The allocation of a contract to a company after a tender process (e.g., öffentliche Vergabe - public procurement).
- Licenses/Concessions: The granting of a permit or authorization.
- University places: The allocation of spots at universities (Studienplatzvergabe).
- Loans/Scholarships: The granting of financial resources.
- Grades/Points: The giving of marks or scores in education or sports (e.g., Notenvergabe - grading, Punktevergabe - awarding points).
- Seats/Offices: The allocation of positions or mandates.
The word emphasizes the process or outcome of deciding who receives something.
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 Vergabe' in Detail
Die Vergabe is a feminine noun. It is mostly used in the singular. The plural form die Vergaben exists but is less common; it refers to multiple individual awarding acts or processes.
| Case | Article | Noun | (English Case) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Vergabe | (Subject) |
| Genitive | der | Vergabe | (Possessive) |
| Dative | der | Vergabe | (Indirect Object) |
| Accusative | die | Vergabe | (Direct Object) |
| Case | Article | Noun | (English Case) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Vergaben | (Subject) |
| Genitive | der | Vergaben | (Possessive) |
| Dative | den | Vergaben | (Indirect Object) |
| Accusative | die | Vergaben | (Direct Object) |
Grammar Examples
- Die Vergabe des Projekts erfolgte nach strengen Kriterien.
(The awarding of the project followed strict criteria.) - Wir warten auf die Ergebnisse der Vergabe.
(We are waiting for the results of the allocation.) - Bei der Vergabe von Stipendien wird auf soziale Aspekte geachtet.
(Social aspects are considered in the awarding of scholarships.) - Das Unternehmen hat die Vergabe gewonnen.
(The company won the contract award.) - Mehrere Vergaben wurden wegen Unregelmäßigkeiten überprüft.
(Several award processes were reviewed due to irregularities.)
💡 How 'die Vergabe' is used
Die Vergabe is primarily used in formal contexts, especially in business, law, and administration.
- Öffentliche Vergabe (Public Procurement): This is a very common context. Municipalities, states, or the federal government issue public tenders for contracts (e.g., construction projects, services), and die Vergabe (the award) goes to the most economically advantageous offer. Vergaberecht (procurement law) regulates this process.
- Business: Companies talk about Auftragsvergabe (awarding of contracts) to suppliers or service providers.
- Education: The Vergabe of university places, scholarships, or grades is relevant here.
- Sports: The Vergabe of points, medals, or host city designations (e.g., die Vergabe der Olympischen Spiele - the awarding of the Olympic Games).
- Licenses & Rights: The Vergabe of broadcasting licenses, usage rights, or patents.
Differentiation: While Verteilung (distribution) often implies a broader scattering and Zuteilung (allocation) can be more informal, Vergabe usually emphasizes a formalized decision-making process about who receives something specific.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'Vergabe'
Article Mnemonic: Think of a queen ('die' Königin) who is giving away prizes. She handles die Vergabe. ('Die' is feminine, like the queen).
Meaning Mnemonic: 'Vergabe' sounds a bit like 'forgive' but think of it as 'for giving'. It's the act 'for giving' out contracts, places, or points. It's the official giving process – die Vergabe.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Zuteilung: (Allocation) Often interchangeable, but can be less formal.
- Erteilung: (Granting, issuing) Especially for permits, licenses (e.g., Erteilung einer Baugenehmigung - granting of a building permit).
- Gewährung: (Granting, provision) Often for financial resources (e.g., Gewährung eines Kredits - granting of a loan).
- Verleihung: (Awarding, bestowing) Mostly for prizes, titles, orders.
- Auftragsvergabe: (Contract awarding) Specific to contracts.
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Entzug: (Withdrawal, revocation) Taking away something previously granted (e.g., Lizenzentzug - license revocation).
- Aberkennung: (Revocation, stripping) Formal taking away (e.g., Aberkennung eines Titels - stripping of a title).
- Ablehnung: (Rejection, refusal) Non-allocation, non-granting (e.g., Ablehnung eines Antrags - rejection of an application).
- Verweigerung: (Refusal, denial) Active act of not giving.
⚠️ Similar Words (Potential Confusion):
- Ausgabe: (Issuing, spending) Refers to physically handing something out or spending money, not the allocation process itself.
- Abgabe: (Submission, levy/fee) Often refers to submitting something (like a tax return) or a fee/tax.
- Vergebung: (Forgiveness) Usually means forgiveness, not allocation. 🚨 Be careful with the related verb vergeben!
😂 A Little Joke
German: Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Haben Sie schon Erfahrung mit der Vergabe von komplexen Projekten?" Antwortet der Neue: "Nein, aber ich habe schon oft versucht, in der Kantine den letzten Nachtisch zu ergattern – das ist doch ähnlich, oder?"
English: The boss asks the new employee: "Do you have experience with the awarding (Vergabe) of complex projects?" The newbie replies: "No, but I've often tried to snag the last dessert in the canteen – that's similar, isn't it?"
✒️ Poem about 'Vergabe'
German:
Die Ausschreibung, lang und breit,
Angebote aus aller Welt bereit.
Wer kriegt den Zuschlag, wer das Los?
Die Vergabe, die ist groß.
Kriterien prüfen, Zahl um Zahl,
Die Entscheidung trifft die Wahl.
Ein Vertrag wird unterschrieben,
So ist das Projekt nun vergeben.
English Translation:
The tender, long and wide,
Offers ready from far and wide.
Who gets the nod, who gets the lot?
The awarding (die Vergabe), it means a lot.
Checking criteria, number by number,
The decision makes the choice.
A contract is then signed,
Thus the project is now assigned.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich bin ein Akt, oft sehr formal,
Entscheide über Gut und Wahl.
Ob Auftrag, Platz, Lizenz, Kredit,
Ich teile zu, Schritt für Schritt.
Im Amt, im Sport, im großen Spiel,
Erreiche ich mein wichtig Ziel.
Wer bin ich?
(Lösung: die Vergabe)
English Translation:
I am an act, often quite formal,
Deciding over goods and choices normal.
Be it contract, place, license, or credit,
I allocate, step by step, you get it.
In office, sports, in the big game's field,
My important goal I wield.
What am I?
(Answer: die Vergabe - the awarding/allocation)
🧩 Other Information
Word Formation (Wortbildung):
Die Vergabe is a noun derived from the verb vergeben. The verb vergeben has several meanings:
- To allocate/award/grant: einen Auftrag vergeben (to award a contract), einen Studienplatz vergeben (to allocate a university place), Punkte vergeben (to award points). This is the meaning directly related to die Vergabe.
- To forgive: jemandem seine Schuld vergeben (to forgive someone their guilt). This meaning is unrelated to die Vergabe. ⚠️ Be careful when interpreting the verb!
- To miss/waste (an opportunity): eine Torchance vergeben (to miss a goal-scoring opportunity). This meaning also doesn't fit die Vergabe.
So, context is crucial for understanding the verb vergeben. However, the noun die Vergabe clearly refers to the act of allocating/awarding/granting.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Vergabe?
The correct article for Vergabe is die. So, it's die Vergabe.