die  Versiegelung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/fɛɐ̯ˈziːɡəlʊŋ/

🛡️ What does 'die Versiegelung' mean?

Die Versiegelung is a feminine noun referring to several related concepts:

• The process of sealing: The act of closing something tightly or making it airtight/watertight to protect, secure, or make it inaccessible. Examples include sealing joints in a bathroom, sealing car paint, or sealing a letter.
• The result of sealing: The protective layer or closure itself that has been applied or fixed (e.g., eine Lackversiegelung - a paint sealant, eine Fugenversiegelung - a grout sealant).
• Official sealing: The application of an official seal (usually wax or an adhesive seal) to documents, containers, or rooms by an authority to confirm their integrity or legal validity (e.g., Aktenversiegelung - sealing of files, Pfandsiegel - seizure seal).
• Soil sealing (environmental context): Covering natural ground with impermeable materials like concrete or asphalt (Bodenversiegelung), which has ecological impacts. 🌳➡️🏢

The word derives from the verb versiegeln (to seal).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of 'die Versiegelung' in Detail

Die Versiegelung is a feminine noun. The ending -ung typically indicates a feminine gender.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

💡 Example Sentences

1. Die Versiegelung des Parkettbodens schützt ihn vor Kratzern.
   (The sealing of the parquet floor protects it from scratches.)
2. Nach der Beschlagnahmung erfolgte die Versiegelung der Tür durch die Polizei.
   (After the seizure, the sealing of the door was carried out by the police.)
3. Die zunehmende Bodenversiegelung in Städten ist ein Umweltproblem.
   (The increasing soil sealing in cities is an environmental problem.)
4. Wir benötigen mehrere Versiegelungen für die unterschiedlichen Oberflächen.
   (We need several sealants/sealing applications for the different surfaces.)

✍️ How 'Versiegelung' is Used

The term die Versiegelung is used specifically depending on the context:

• Construction & Crafts: Here, it usually refers to applying a protective layer (e.g., Lackversiegelung - paint sealing, Fugenversiegelung - grout sealing, Holzversiegelung - wood sealing). It's about protection against moisture, dirt, or wear.
• Law & Administration: In an official context, it denotes the application of a seal for security or authentication (e.g., Aktenversiegelung - file sealing, Pfandversiegelung - seizure sealing). This symbolizes integrity or official confirmation.
• Environmental Protection: This usually refers to Bodenversiegelung (soil sealing), meaning the covering of land with buildings or asphalt, which affects water balance and biodiversity.
• Everyday Life: Less common, but possible, for closing containers or letters, although 'verschließen' (to close) or 'zukleben' (to tape up) are often used instead.

Distinction: While die Versiegelung often means the process or the resulting layer, das Siegel refers to the concrete object used for sealing (e.g., a wax seal, an official stamp).

🧠 Mnemonics for Versiegelung

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in -ung in German are almost always feminine. Think of other -ung words like die Achtung (attention), die Rechnung (bill), die Wohnung (apartment)... and therefore, it's die Versiegelung. The -ung ending 'sings' like a feminine thing!

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you have a very secret message (top secret!). You put it in an envelope and use a special sticker or wax stamp (das Siegel) to securely close it. This action (ver-siegel-n) creates die Versiegelung – making something securely sealed.

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Das Siegel (neuter): (The seal) The mark or object used for sealing (e.g., wax seal, official stamp).
• Versiegeln (verb): (To seal) The action of sealing.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Richter den Angeklagten: "Warum haben Sie das amtliche Siegel an der Tür aufgebrochen?"
Antwortet der Angeklagte: "Ich dachte, das wäre eine Art 'Bitte nicht stören'-Schild für Fortgeschrittene!"

Judge asks the defendant: "Why did you break the official seal on the door?"
Defendant replies: "I thought it was some kind of advanced 'Do Not Disturb' sign!"

📜 Poem about Versiegelung

Ein Tropfen Lack, ganz fein und klar,
auf Holz, das schutzlos lange war.
Die Versiegelung, sie schützt und hält,
was sonst der Zahn der Zeit zerschellt.

Ein Amtssiegel, rot und rund,
macht einen Akt für alle kund.
Die Versiegelung zeigt Macht und Recht,
hält fest, was gilt, ob gut, ob schlecht.

A drop of varnish, fine and clear,
on wood that long lay bare of fear.
The sealing protects and holds,
what otherwise the tooth of time unfolds.

An official seal, round and red,
makes an act known to all instead.
The sealing shows power and right,
holds fast what's valid, dark or bright.

🕵️‍♀️ Who or What Am I?

Ich schütze Oberflächen vor Nässe und Schmutz,
manchmal bin ich amtlich, biete Schutz und Trutz.
Im Umweltbereich bin ich oft beklagt,
weil ich dem Boden das Atmen versagt.

Ich bin ein Vorgang und auch das, was bleibt,
ein Wort auf '-ung', das Weiblichkeit beschreibt.

Wer bin ich?

I protect surfaces from wetness and dirt,
Sometimes I'm official, offering protection and assert.
In the environmental field, I'm often decried,
Because I deny the soil the breath inside.

I am a process and also what remains,
A word ending in '-ung', that femininity contains.

Who am I?
(Solution: die Versiegelung)

🧩 Further Details

Word Composition:

The word Versiegelung is composed of:

• The prefix ver-: often intensifying or indicating a process.
• The root word Siegel: (seal) the mark or closure.
• The suffix -ung: used to form a noun from a verb (versiegeln - to seal), usually making it feminine.

Trivia:

Historically, seals (Siegel), often made of wax impressed with a pattern, were incredibly important for authenticating documents (Urkunden) and securing letters from unauthorized reading. The study and art of seals is called sigillography (or Sphragistik in German).