die
Weltreise
🌏 What Exactly is a 'Weltreise'?
Die Weltreise (feminine, article: die) refers to a very long journey that crosses several continents and ideally goes once around the entire globe. It's often a lifelong dream and a grand adventure that requires extensive planning.
The term is composed of:
- Welt: The world, planet Earth, all countries and continents.
- Reise: The journey, travel over a longer distance to one or more destinations.
Since die Reise is feminine, die Weltreise is also feminine. There are no other articles for this word. ⚠️ Be sure to always use "die Weltreise".
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 Spotlight: Die Weltreise
The noun "Weltreise" is feminine. Here are the declension tables:
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die | Weltreise |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der | Weltreise |
| Dative (To whom?) | der | Weltreise |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die | Weltreise |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Weltreisen |
| Genitive | der | Weltreisen |
| Dative | den | Weltreisen |
| Accusative | die | Weltreisen |
✨ Example Sentences
- Viele träumen von einer Weltreise nach dem Studium.
(Many dream of a round-the-world trip after university.) - Die Planung der Weltreise dauerte über ein Jahr.
(The planning of the world trip took over a year.) - Mit dieser Weltreise erfüllte er sich einen Lebenstraum.
(With this world trip, he fulfilled a lifelong dream.) - Sie finanziert die Weltreise durch Ersparnisse und Bloggen.
(She finances the world trip through savings and blogging.) - Auf ihren vielen Weltreisen hat sie beeindruckende Kulturen kennengelernt.
(On her many world trips, she got to know impressive cultures.)
🗺️ When to Use 'Weltreise'?
The term Weltreise is used to describe a very specific type of journey:
- Scope: It is global or at least transcontinental in nature. A trip solely within Europe is not a Weltreise.
- Duration: It usually lasts several months or even years. A two-week vacation is not a Weltreise.
- Context: Often associated with terms like Abenteuer (adventure), Planung (planning), Finanzierung (financing), Sabbatical, Auszeit (time out), Backpacking.
In contrast to a normal Urlaub (vacation, usually shorter, for recreation) or a Reise (general term for travel), die Weltreise implies a large, unique, and often life-changing undertaking.
Example phrases:
- eine Weltreise machen / unternehmen (to do / undertake a world trip)
- eine Weltreise planen / finanzieren (to plan / finance a world trip)
- von einer Weltreise träumen (to dream of a world trip)
- auf Weltreise sein / gehen (to be on / go on a world trip)
🧠 Mnemonics for 'Weltreise'
Here's how to remember the article and meaning:
Article Mnemonic: Think of 'die Reise' (the journey). A journey around the whole 'Welt' (world) is still fundamentally 'DIE Reise' (THE journey par excellence!). Since 'Reise' is feminine, 'Weltreise' is too.
Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine traveling around the entire Welt (world) – that's a Welt-Reise (world journey). Simple as that!
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Erdumrundung / Erdumsegelung: Emphasizes the physical circumnavigation of the globe.
- Globetrotting (Anglicism): Fashionable term for extensive world travel.
- Langzeitreise: (Long-term trip) Emphasizes duration, but doesn't necessarily mean around the world.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning)
- Stubenhocken: (Being a homebody/couch potato) Staying at home, not traveling.
- Daheimbleiben: (Staying at home) Similar to Stubenhocken.
- Kurzurlaub / Wochenendtrip: (Short vacation / Weekend trip) Very short journey.
- Alltag: (Everyday life) The opposite of the extraordinary experience of a world trip.
🚨 Potential Confusion?
A Geschäftsreise (business trip) or an Urlaub (vacation) are clearly distinct from a Weltreise, as they are usually shorter and serve a different purpose.
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt der Chef seinen Mitarbeiter: "Sie wollen sechs Monate unbezahlten Urlaub für eine Weltreise? Was wollen Sie denn da zuerst machen?"
Antwortet der Mitarbeiter: "Als Erstes will ich rausfinden, ob man wirklich sechs Monate ohne Ihr Gehalt überleben kann!"
Translation:
The boss asks his employee: "You want six months of unpaid leave for a world trip? What's the first thing you plan to do?"
The employee replies: "First, I want to find out if one can really survive for six months without your salary!"
✍️ A Little Poem About the Journey
Der Koffer packt sich fast allein,
Die Weltreise, oh wie fein!
Von Ost nach West, von Süd nach Nord,
Ein jeder Ort ein neuer Hort.
Kontinente, fremde Sprachen,
Abenteuer, die wir wagen.
Die Weltreise, ein großer Traum,
Passt kaum in einen Lebensraum.
Translation:
The suitcase almost packs itself,
The world trip, oh how nice!
From East to West, from South to North,
Every place a new refuge.
Continents, foreign languages,
Adventures that we dare.
The world trip, a grand dream,
Hardly fits into a lifetime.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich führe dich um den ganzen Ball,
Besuchst mit mir Berg und Tal, Stadt und Stall.
Ich dauere lang, kost' manchmal viel,
Bin für viele ein großes Lebensziel.
Was bin ich?
Translation:
I lead you around the whole ball (Earth),
With me you visit mountain and valley, city and stall.
I last a long time, sometimes cost a lot,
For many, I am a major life goal.
What am I?
(... Die Weltreise / The round-the-world trip)
🧩 Other Information
Word Composition:
Die Weltreise is a compound noun (Kompositum), composed of:
The grammatical gender is determined by the last part of the compound (the base word), which is die Reise → therefore, it's die Weltreise.
Trivia:
The first historically documented circumnavigation of the Earth was started by Ferdinand Magellan and completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano in 1522. Today, world trips are more accessible thanks to modern means of transport, but they remain a special experience.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Weltreise?
The German noun Weltreise is feminine. The correct article is die: die Weltreise.