die
Wahrung
📜 What does "die Wahrung" mean?
Die Wahrung (feminine) describes the act of preserving, maintaining, or safeguarding something important. It often refers to abstract concepts like rights (Rechte), interests (Interessen), peace (Frieden), or traditions (Traditionen).
It derives from the verb wahren, meaning “to maintain”, “to preserve”, or “to protect”.
Typical uses include:
- Wahrung von Interessen: Safeguarding of interests (ensuring one's concerns are considered).
- Wahrung des Friedens: Preservation of peace (measures to maintain peaceful conditions).
- Wahrung der Rechte: Upholding/Protection of rights.
- Wahrung der Form: Maintaining appearances/formalities.
⚠️ Attention: Do not confuse it with "die Währung" (currency)!
Article rules for der, die, and das
-ung → always feminine.
There are many -ung words, we won't list them all. There are only a few exceptions.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: die Wahrung
The noun "Wahrung" is feminine. The article is die.
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Wahrung |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Wahrung |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Wahrung |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Wahrung |
Declension Plural
The plural form ("die Wahrungen") is rarely used. Usually, "Wahrung" refers to the general act or state of preserving and thus remains singular.
💡 Example Sentences
- Die Wahrung der Menschenrechte ist eine wichtige Aufgabe.
(The safeguarding of human rights is an important task.) - Er handelt stets zur Wahrung seiner Interessen.
(He always acts for the protection of his interests.) - Zur Wahrung des Scheins lächelte sie gequält.
(To maintain appearances, she forced a smile.) - Die Wahrung von Traditionen spielt in dieser Gemeinschaft eine große Rolle.
(The preservation of traditions plays a big role in this community.)
🗣️ How to use "Wahrung"?
"Wahrung" is primarily used in more formal contexts, especially in legal, political, or economic fields. It emphasizes the aspect of actively maintaining or protecting something.
- Context: Often used with genitive objects or prepositional phrases indicating what is being preserved (e.g., Wahrung der Rechte - 'safeguarding of rights', zur Wahrung des Friedens - 'for the preservation of peace').
- Differentiation:
- Schutz (Protection): Focuses more on defense against danger (e.g., Schutz vor Angriffen - 'protection from attacks').
- Bewahrung (Preservation/Conservation): Can also refer to the physical keeping of objects (e.g., Bewahrung alter Bücher - 'preservation of old books'), whereas "Wahrung" is mostly abstract.
- Erhaltung (Maintenance/Conservation): Similar to Bewahrung, often in the sense of maintaining a condition (e.g., Erhaltung der Bausubstanz - 'conservation of the building fabric').
- Typical Collocations: zur Wahrung von... ('for the safeguarding of...'), die Wahrung gewährleisten ('to ensure the safeguarding'), im Interesse der Wahrung... ('in the interest of safeguarding...').
🧠 Mnemonics for Wahrung
Article Mnemonic (die): Think of "die Watch" (die Wache in German). A watchman or guard (Wache) is there for the Wahrung (safeguarding) of something. Since die Wache is feminine, so is die Wahrung.
Meaning Mnemonic: "Wahrung" sounds a bit like being "aware". You need to be aware of potential threats to properly safeguard (Wahrung) something important. Or think of the English word "warden" - someone who guards or protects.
↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Erhaltung: Maintenance, preservation (emphasizes maintaining a state).
- Sicherung: Securing, safeguarding (focuses on preventing loss or damage).
- Aufrechterhaltung: Maintenance, upholding (similar to Erhaltung, often for order or conditions).
- Schutz: Protection (emphasizes defense against dangers).
- Pflege: Care, cultivation (in the sense of taking care to preserve, e.g., tradition).
- Behauptung: Assertion, maintenance (in the sense of enforcing, e.g., rights).
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
- Verletzung: Violation (of rights or duties).
- Missachtung: Disregard, non-observance (ignoring rules or interests).
- Aufgabe: Abandonment (giving up interests or positions).
- Preisgabe: Surrender, abandonment (leaving something to loss or destruction).
- Zerstörung: Destruction (the opposite of preservation).
🚨 Potential for Confusion:
Be careful not to confuse "die Wahrung" with "die Währung" (currency, e.g., Euro, Dollar). The pronunciation is similar, but the meaning is completely different!
😂 A Little Joke
Richter: "Bekennen Sie sich schuldig zur Missachtung der richterlichen Anordnung?"
Angeklagter: "Nein, Herr Richter, ich dachte, es ginge um die Wahrung meines Rechts auf eine eigene Meinung!"
Judge: "Do you plead guilty to disregarding the court order?"
Defendant: "No, Your Honor, I thought it was about safeguarding my right to my own opinion!"
✍️ Poem about Wahrung
Die Würde wahren, zart und fein,
Den Frieden hüten, soll er sein.
Die Rechte achten, klar und rein,
Zur Wahrung stehen wir fest ein.
(To keep dignity, tender and fine,
To guard the peace, let it shine.
Respect the rights, clear and divine,
For safeguarding, we firmly align.)
❓ A Little Riddle
Ich bin kein Geld, doch oft von Wert,
Ich schütze das, was man begehrt.
Ob Recht, ob Frieden, alt Gebrauch,
Mein Ziel ist Schutz, kein leerer Rauch.
Was bin ich?
... Die Wahrung
(I am not money, yet often of worth,
I protect that which one desires on Earth.
Be it rights, or peace, or custom old,
My aim is protection, brave and bold.
What am I?
... Wahrung (Safeguarding/Preservation))
Food for Thought: More on Wahrung
Word Formation
"Die Wahrung" is a nominalization (making a noun) of the verb wahren (to preserve, safeguard). The suffix -ung is commonly used in German to form feminine nouns from verbs, often describing a process or its result (e.g., prüfen -> die Prüfung 'the examination', warnen -> die Warnung 'the warning').
Compound Nouns
The word often forms compounds that specify what is being safeguarded:
- Interessenwahrung: Safeguarding of interests.
- Rechtswahrung: Upholding/Protection of the law/rights.
- Fristwahrung: Observance of a deadline.
- Friedenswahrung: Peacekeeping/Preservation of peace.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Wahrung?
The noun "Wahrung" is feminine, so the correct article is always die (die Wahrung, der Wahrung, der Wahrung, die Wahrung).