die / das  Wehr

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/veːɐ/

🌊🛡️ What do 'die Wehr' and 'das Wehr' mean?

The German word Wehr can have two genders, leading to different meanings:

1. Die Wehr (feminine):

   • This means defense, resistance, or a protective organization. Think of the Feuerwehr (fire brigade) or the Bundeswehr (German armed forces). It's also used in the phrase "sich zur Wehr setzen" (to defend oneself).
   • Plural: die Wehren

2. Das Wehr (neuter):

   • This refers to a weir or a small dam in a river or body of water. It's a structure that regulates water levels or impounds water for specific purposes (e.g., mills, energy generation).
   • Plural: die Wehre (more common for the structure itself) or die Wehren (often for multiple individual weir installations). ⚠️ Both plural forms are possible, but 'die Wehre' is often used as a technical plural for multiple components of a weir or several small weirs, while 'die Wehren' can refer to several separate weir facilities.

🚨 Attention: The different articles are crucial for the meaning!

📜 Grammar of Wehr in Detail

Die Wehr (feminine)

Refers to defense, resistance.

Example sentences for 'die Wehr':

• Die Bürger griffen zur Wehr, um ihre Stadt zu verteidigen. (The citizens took up arms (resorted to defense) to defend their city.)
• Die Feuerwehr rückte schnell zum Einsatzort aus. (The fire brigade quickly moved out to the scene.)
• Er setzte sich mit aller Kraft zur Wehr. (He defended himself with all his might.)

Das Wehr (neuter)

Refers to a weir (dam-like structure).

Note: For the neuter 'Wehr', the genitive singular 'des Wehrs' is also common. The plural 'die Wehre' is more frequent when referring to the structures themselves; 'die Wehren' can also be used, especially for a number of weir installations.

Example sentences for 'das Wehr':

• Das alte Wehr muss dringend repariert werden. (The old weir urgently needs to be repaired.)
• Fische können oft nur schwer die Wehre überwinden. (Fish often find it difficult to overcome the weirs.)
• Hinter dem Wehr bildete sich ein kleiner See. (A small lake formed behind the weir.)

🗣️ Using 'Wehr' in Context: When and How?

The usage of "Wehr" heavily depends on its article:

Die Wehr:

• Contexts: Military (e.g., Bundeswehr - German Armed Forces), disaster response (Feuerwehr - fire brigade, Deichwehr - dike defense), personal defense (sich zur Wehr setzen - to defend oneself, Notwehr - self-defense), resistance (Gegenwehr - counter-resistance).
• Nuances: Often emphasizes the active aspect of protecting or defending. It can be an institution or an action.
• Comparison: While Verteidigung is a general term for defense, die Wehr can more specifically mean an organized force or a determined act of defense.

Das Wehr:

• Contexts: Hydraulic engineering, river regulation, energy generation (hydropower), ecology (impact on fish migration).
• Nuances: Always refers to a physical structure in water.
• Comparison: A Staudamm (dam) is typically a larger structure than das Wehr (weir), which is often a lower barrier for water level regulation or diversion. An Überfallwehr is an overflow weir.

It's crucial to use the correct article to avoid misunderstandings, as a mistake can completely change the meaning! ⚠️

🧠 Mnemonics for 'die' and 'das Wehr'

For the articles:
Think: 'Die' (she) is for defense – she's feisty and defends herself!
'Das' (it) is for the weir – it's a neutral 'thing' (das Ding), a structure built in the water.

For the meanings:
When you defend yourself ('sich wehren'), you are putting up 'die Wehr' (defense).
A weir ('das Wehr') is a structure that wears down the water's force or where water flows.

🔁 Synonyms & Antonyms for Wehr

For die Wehr (defense, resistance):

For das Wehr (weir):

🤔 Similarly sounding words:

Be careful not to confuse 'Wehr' with words like:

• Wert (meaning: value) – sounds similar, but has nothing to do with defense or hydraulic structures.
• wear (English verb/noun) – completely different meaning and origin.

😂 A Little Wehr Joke

Richter: "Sie haben sich also zur Wehr gesetzt?"
Angeklagter: "Nein, Herr Richter, ich wohne immer noch in Hamburg!"

Translation:
Judge: "So you put up a defense / resorted to arms?"
Defendant: "No, Your Honor, I still live in Hamburg!"

(The pun plays on "sich zur Wehr setzen" meaning "to defend oneself". The defendant humorously misinterprets "Wehr" as if it were a place he moved away from, making the response absurd in the legal context. It's a bit of a stretch, relying on the idea that "Wehr" could sound like a (fictional) town name in this twisted logic.)

✒️ A Little Poem about Wehr

Die Wehr, sie steht für Mut und Kraft,
wenn Gefahr droht, hält sie standhaft.
Ob Feuerflut, ob Feindeshand,
sie schützt das Volk, das Haus, das Land.

Translation:
The Defense, it stands for courage and might,
when danger looms, it holds on tight.
Be it flood of fire, or enemy's hand,
it protects the people, the house, the land.

Das Wehr, gebaut aus Stein und Stahl,
bändigt des Flusses Lauf, die Zahl
der Tropfen, die es staut und lenkt,
damit dem Menschen Nutzen schenkt.

Translation:
The Weir, built of stone and steel,
tames the river's course, the deal
of drops it dams and directs with care,
so benefit to man it may bear.

❓ A Tricky Word Riddle

Ich habe zwei Gesichter, trage zwei Namen,
mit 'die' bin ich Schutz vor Gefahren und Dramen.
Mit 'das' steh ich fest in des Wassers Gewalt,
und ändere den Flusslauf, mal jung und mal alt.

Was bin ich?

Translation:
I have two faces, bear two names,
with 'die' I'm protection from dangers and shames.
With 'das' I stand firm in the water's might,
and change the river's course, young or old, day and night.

What am I?

Answer: Die Wehr / Das Wehr (The defense / The weir)

💡 More Facts about Wehr

Word Compounds (Wortzusammensetzungen):

• With 'die Wehr': Feuerwehr (fire brigade), Bundeswehr (German armed forces), Landwehr (historical territorial army/militia), Bürgerwehr (vigilante group/citizen patrol), Gegenwehr (counter-defense), Notwehr (self-defense), Luftabwehr (air defense).
• With 'das Wehr': Stauwehr (weir, barrage), Überfallwehr (overflow weir), Walzenwehr (roller weir), Nadelwehr (needle weir), Grundwehr (ground sill weir).

Related Verb:

The verb sich wehren means "to defend oneself", "to resist". Example: Er wehrte sich gegen die Angreifer. (He defended himself against the attackers.)

The verb wehren (+ dative object + accusative object) is an older form for "to forbid/deny someone something". Example: Man wehrte ihm den Zutritt. (He was denied access.) (Today, more commonly: Man verwehrte ihm den Zutritt.)

Etymology:

The word "Wehr" comes from the Old High German word werī or wer, which meant "defense", "fortification", or also "dam", "weir". This ancient root thus connects both modern meanings: something that protects or something that holds back (water).