die  Verkürzung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/fɛɐ̯ˈkʏʁtsʊŋ/

🤔 What does 'die Verkürzung' mean?

The German word die Verkürzung generally describes the process or result of making something shorter. It primarily has two meanings:

1. The process of becoming shorter or being made shorter: This can refer to time, distance, a text, a process, or even material objects. Example: Die Verkürzung der Wartezeit war sehr willkommen. (The shortening of the waiting time was very welcome.)
2. The result of this process, especially an abbreviation (in the linguistic sense): A word or phrase used in a shorter form. Example: "usw." ist eine gebräuchliche Verkürzung für "und so weiter". ("etc." is a common abbreviation for "and so on".)

Because the word ends in -ung, like most nouns with this ending, it is feminine: die Verkürzung.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Verkürzung

The noun "Verkürzung" is feminine. Here is its declension:

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

📝 Example Sentences

• Die Verkürzung des Rockes war notwendig. (The shortening of the skirt was necessary. - Accusative, Singular)
• Wegen der Verkürzung der Frist gab es Probleme. (Because of the shortening of the deadline, there were problems. - Genitive, Singular)
• Wir diskutierten verschiedene Verkürzungen für den Projektnamen. (We discussed various shortenings/abbreviations for the project name. - Accusative, Plural)
• Mit diesen Verkürzungen kann ich gut arbeiten. (I can work well with these abbreviations/shortenings. - Dative, Plural)

💡 Everyday Usage

Die Verkürzung is used in various contexts:

• Temporal: Eine Verkürzung der Arbeitszeit (a shortening of working hours), der Reisezeit (travel time), einer Frist (a deadline).
• Spatial: Eine Verkürzung eines Weges (a shortening of a path - often called "Abkürzung" or shortcut, but "Verkürzung" is also possible, e.g., for a rope).
• Linguistic: Eine Verkürzung von Wörtern oder Sätzen (a shortening of words or sentences, e.g., abbreviations like "z.B." (e.g.), "usw." (etc.), or acronyms). Here, "Abkürzung" is often more specific, but "Verkürzung" is the broader term.
• Material: Die Verkürzung eines Kleidungsstücks (the shortening of a piece of clothing), eines Holzbalkens (a wooden beam).
• Procedural: Die Verkürzung von Arbeitsabläufen (work processes) or Produktionszeiten (production times).

Sometimes the synonym "Kürzung" is used. However, "Kürzung" often implies a reduction or cut (e.g., of funds), while "Verkürzung" emphasizes the aspect of becoming physically or temporally shorter.

🧠 Memory Aids for Verkürzung

1. Article Aid: Words ending in -ung in German are almost always feminine (die). Think of: Die Zeitung (newspaper), die Übung (exercise), die Lösung (solution)... and therefore also die Verkürzung. The -ung ending is your feminine clue!
2. Meaning Aid: Imagine taking something long, like a rope, and making it kurz (short) with scissors ✂️. This action of making-short is the Ver-kürz-ung. The word itself contains 'kurz' (short)!

↔️ Thesaurus Plus: Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar Words (Potential Confusion):

• Verzehrung: Sounds vaguely similar but means consumption (of food).
• Verletzung: Nothing to do with shortness; means injury or violation.

😂 A Little Chuckle

Auf Deutsch: Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Können Sie mit Abkürzungen umgehen?" Azubi: "Klar, Chef, weniger Arbeit ist immer gut!" Chef: "Okay, dann haben Sie ab morgen Fr. Nachmittag frei." Azubi: "Wow, super! Was heißt Fr.?" Chef: "Freitag? Nein! Für immer!"

In English: The boss asks the new employee: "Can you handle abbreviations (Abkürzungen)?" Trainee: "Sure, boss, less work is always good!" Boss: "Okay, then starting tomorrow you have Fri. afternoon off." Trainee: "Wow, great! What does Fri. stand for?" Boss: "Friday? No! Forever (Für immer)!"

(Okay, the joke plays more on 'Abkürzung', but that's a type of Verkürzung!)

✒️ Poetic Corner

Auf Deutsch:
Die Zeit, sie rennt, ein langer Fluss,
doch manchmal wünscht man den Genuss,
von Verkürzung, schnell und klar,
ein kurzer Weg, wie wunderbar.
Ein Wort gekürzt, ein Satz ganz knapp,
die Verkürzung macht es flott, zack, zack!
So spart man Zeit und auch Papier,
die Effizienz, die wohnt dann hier.

In English:
Time, it runs, a long river's flow,
But sometimes we wish, you know,
For shortening, quick and clear,
A shorter path, wonderfully dear.
A word cut down, a sentence tight,
The shortening makes it swift and bright!
Saving time and paper too,
Efficiency resides with you.

❓ Riddle Time

Auf Deutsch:
Ich mache Langes lieber klein,
ob Text, ob Zeit, ob Weges-Schein.
Ich spare Mühe, manchmal Raum,
und ende meist auf "-ung", man glaubt es kaum.

Was bin ich?

In English:
I prefer to make long things small,
Whether text, or time, or path for all.
I save effort, sometimes space,
And usually end in "-ung", in this place.

What am I?

Solution: die Verkürzung (the shortening/abbreviation)

🧩 More Info

Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):

The word "Verkürzung" is a noun derived from the verb "verkürzen" (to shorten). It is composed of:

• The prefix ver-: This can have various meanings; here, it indicates a change or process.
• The adjective kurz (short).
• The suffix -ung: This suffix forms nouns from verbs and often denotes a process or its result. It makes the noun feminine (die).

So: ver- (change to) + kurz (short) + -ung (process/result) = The act or result of making something shorter.