die
Woche
🗓️ What does 'die Woche' mean?
Die Woche means 'week' in English. It refers to a period of seven consecutive days. It's a fundamental unit of time used to structure the calendar and is commonly used for planning activities, work, and leisure.
In German, the word 'Woche' is feminine, so it always takes the article 'die'.
- Meaning: A period of seven days (Monday to Sunday, or Sunday to Saturday, depending on cultural context).
There are no different meanings depending on different articles, as 'Woche' is exclusively feminine.
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 under the Microscope: die Woche
The noun 'Woche' is feminine. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | die | Woche |
| Genitive (Whose?) | der | Woche |
| Dative (To/For whom?) | der | Woche |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | die | Woche |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Wochen |
| Genitive | der | Wochen |
| Dative | den | Wochen |
| Accusative | die | Wochen |
Example Sentences
- Die nächste Woche beginnt am Montag. (The next week starts on Monday.)
- Das Ende der Woche naht. (The end of the week is approaching.)
- Ich freue mich auf das Konzert in der nächsten Woche. (I'm looking forward to the concert in the next week.)
- Wir planen die kommende Woche sehr genau. (We are planning the coming week very carefully.)
- Die letzten Wochen waren sehr arbeitsreich. (The last weeks were very busy.)
- Während der letzten Wochen haben wir viel gelernt. (During the last weeks, we learned a lot.)
- In den nächsten Wochen habe ich Urlaub. (In the next weeks, I have vacation.)
- Er hat die letzten drei Wochen in Italien verbracht. (He spent the last three weeks in Italy.)
🗣️ How 'die Woche' is Used
'Die Woche' is a very common word in everyday life, the working world, and time planning.
- Time Specifications: It's often used with adjectives like nächste (next), letzte (last), kommende (coming), vergangene (past), diese (this). Example: „Diese Woche habe ich viel zu tun.“ (This week I have a lot to do.)
- Frequency: In expressions like jede Woche (every week), pro Woche (per week), einmal die Woche (once a week). Example: „Ich gehe zweimal pro Woche zum Sport.“ (I go to sports twice per week.)
- Time Periods: To describe longer periods. Example: „In den nächsten Wochen müssen wir das Projekt abschließen.“ (In the next weeks, we have to finish the project.)
- Days of the Week: The names of the days (Montag, Dienstag, etc.) refer to the days within a Woche.
- Idiomatic Expressions: Sometimes part of idioms, e.g., „eine lange Woche hinter sich haben“ (to have had a long week).
Compared to 'Tag' (day) or 'Monat' (month), 'Woche' refers to a specific, medium-length period of seven days.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Woche'
- Article Mnemonic: Remember that most units of time in German are feminine (die Minute, die Stunde, die Sekunde) – and so is die Woche. Think: Time (die Zeit - feminine) passes Woche by Woche.
- Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine the seven days of the Woche 'wobbling' (which sounds a bit like 'Woche') one after another. Seven wobbly days make a week. Or think of Snow White's seven dwarfs, who need a whole Woche to clean their cottage.
Remember: Time is feminine, so it's die Woche!
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Siebentageszeitraum: A more formal, descriptive term (seven-day period).
- (Colloquially, there are hardly any direct synonyms as 'Woche' is very established.)
Antonyms/Related Concepts (Opposite or Different Time Frame):
- Tag: Day (shorter unit, part of a week).
- Monat: Month (longer unit, consists of several weeks).
- Jahr: Year (even longer unit).
- Wochenende: Weekend (part of the week - Saturday and Sunday).
- Werktag/Arbeitstag: Weekday/Working day (days of the week excluding the weekend).
⚠️ Be careful: Don't confuse 'Woche' with words that sound similar but mean something different (e.g., 'Wache' - guard/watch).
😂 A Little Time Joke
German:
Frage: Warum hat die Woche sieben Tage?
Antwort: Damit man sechs Tage auf den Sonntag warten kann!
English Translation:
Question: Why does the week have seven days?
Answer: So that you can wait six days for Sunday!
📜 Poem about the Week
German:
Die Woche kommt, die Woche geht,
Ein Rad, das sich beständig dreht.
Sieben Tage, bunt und klar,
Mal Arbeit, mal Freizeit, wunderbar.
Von Montag früh bis Sonntag spät,
Die Zeit verrinnt, es ist nie zu spät,
Die Woche neu zu gestalten,
Und gute Pläne zu entfalten.
English Translation:
The week arrives, the week departs,
A wheel that constantly restarts.
Seven days, both bright and clear,
Sometimes work, sometimes leisure, oh so dear.
From Monday morn till Sunday late,
Time flows on, it's never too late,
To shape the week anew,
And let good plans unfold for you.
❓ Riddle Time
German:
Ich habe sieben Kinder, doch bin kein Elternteil.
Ich komme immer wieder, bleibe nur eine Weil'.
Mal bring ich Arbeit, mal bring ich Ruh',
Planung und Struktur gehör'n dazu.
Was bin ich?
Lösung: die Woche
English Translation:
I have seven children, but I'm not a parent.
I always return, staying only for a while apparent.
Sometimes I bring work, sometimes I bring rest,
Planning and structure are part of my quest.
What am I?
Answer: the week (die Woche)
🧩 Other Info about die Woche
- Word Origin: The German word 'Woche' comes from the Old High German 'wohha' or 'wehha', which possibly meant 'change' or 'sequence', referring to the changing phases of the moon or a work period.
- Days of the Week (Wochentage): The names of the weekdays often have mythological origins (e.g., Donnerstag from Donar/Thor, Freitag from Freya/Frigg).
- Calendar Week (Kalenderwoche - KW): In business contexts, weeks are often numbered (calendar weeks). Example: „Lieferung in KW 25“ (Delivery in calendar week 25).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Woche?
The German word for "week" is die Woche. It is always feminine. Example: Nächste Woche fahren wir in den Urlaub. (Next week we are going on vacation.)