die
Wunde
🩸 What is a 'Wunde'?
The noun die Wunde (feminine) generally refers to an injury where the skin or mucous membrane is broken or damaged. It can refer to different types of injuries:
- Physical wound: An open injury to the body, e.g., from a cut (Schnitt), stab (Stich), bite (Biss), or scrape (Schürfung). Example: Nach dem Sturz hatte er eine tiefe Wunde am Knie. (After the fall, he had a deep wound on his knee.)
- Figurative/Emotional wound: Emotional pain, an offense, or trauma. Example: Der Verrat hinterließ tiefe Wunden in ihrer Seele. (The betrayal left deep wounds in her soul.)
⚠️ Attention: Not every injury is a 'Wunde'. A bruise (Prellung, blauer Fleck) is not typically considered a Wunde in the sense of an open skin injury.
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 Deep Dive: 'Die Wunde'
The word 'Wunde' is a feminine noun. The article is therefore always 'die'. It is declined as follows:
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Wunde | eine Wunde |
| Genitive | der Wunde | einer Wunde |
| Dative | der Wunde | einer Wunde |
| Accusative | die Wunde | eine Wunde |
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Wunden | Wunden / keine Wunden |
| Genitive | der Wunden | Wunden / keiner Wunden |
| Dative | den Wunden | Wunden / keinen Wunden |
| Accusative | die Wunden | Wunden / keine Wunden |
Example Sentences
- Der Arzt reinigte die Wunde sorgfältig.
(The doctor carefully cleaned the wound.) (Accusative Singular) - Die Heilung der Wunde dauert einige Wochen.
(The healing of the wound takes several weeks.) (Genitive Singular) - Er klebte ein Pflaster auf die Wunde.
(He put a plaster/band-aid on the wound.) (Accusative Singular) - Alte Wunden können wieder aufbrechen.
(Old wounds can reopen.) (Nominative Plural) - Man sollte nicht Salz in offene Wunden streuen.
(One shouldn't rub salt in open wounds - also proverbial.) (Accusative Plural)
🩹 How to Use 'Wunde'
Die Wunde is used in various contexts:
- Medical: In hospitals, at the doctor's office, or during first aid, people talk about Wunden (Schnittwunde - cut, Platzwunde - laceration, Schürfwunde - scrape, Brandwunde - burn, etc.) and their treatment (Wundversorgung - wound care, Wundheilung - wound healing).
- Everyday: For minor injuries at home or during play.
- Figurative/Emotional: To describe emotional pain, hurts, or traumatic experiences. Here, one often speaks of 'tiefe Wunden' (deep wounds), 'alte Wunden' (old wounds), or 'seelische Wunden' (emotional/soul wounds).
Idioms (Redewendungen)
- Salz in die Wunde streuen: Literally 'to sprinkle salt in the wound'; meaning: to rub salt in the wound, to make someone feel worse about something.
- Die Zeit heilt alle Wunden: Time heals all wounds.
- Eine offene Wunde sein: Literally 'to be an open wound'; meaning: to be an unresolved, painful issue.
- Den Finger in die Wunde legen: Literally 'to put the finger in the wound'; meaning: to touch a sore spot, to address a problem directly.
Comparison: 'Verletzung' (injury) is a broader term that can also include bruises or strains. A 'Wunde' is more specifically an open injury of the skin or mucous membrane, or deep emotional pain.
Remember This: Mnemonics for 'Wunde'
Article Mnemonic (die)
Many German nouns ending in -e are feminine (die), like 'die Katze' (the cat) or 'die Lampe' (the lamp). 'Die Wunde' follows this common pattern!
Meaning Mnemonic
'Wunde' sounds very similar to the English word 'wound', which is its primary meaning. Imagine someone saying "Ouch, this Wund-e hurts!" pointing to a wound.
Similar & Opposite: Words Around 'Wunde'
Synonyms (Similar Words)
- Verletzung: Injury (general term, can include closed injuries).
- Läsion: Lesion (medical term for tissue damage).
- Blessur: Minor injury, often used in sports context.
- Schramme/Schürfung: Scratch/scrape (superficial wound).
- Trauma: Trauma (severe emotional wound or physical injury).
- Schmerzpunkt (fig.): Sore spot, sensitive subject.
Antonyms (Opposites)
- Heilung: Healing (the process).
- Genesung: Recovery.
- Narbe: Scar (tissue remaining after healing).
- Unversehrtheit: Integrity, state of being unharmed.
- Gesundheit: Health.
⚠️ Similar Sound, Different Meaning
🤣 A Little Joke
DE: Fragt der Arzt den Patienten: "Haben Sie starke Schmerzen in der Wunde?" Patient: "Nein, nur wenn ich lache!"
EN: The doctor asks the patient: "Do you have severe pain in the wound?" Patient: "No, only when I laugh!"
📜 Verses about Injuries
DE:
Ein kleiner Schnitt, ein tiefer Riss,
Die Wunde schmerzt, das ist gewiss.
Ob Haut verletzt, ob Herz entzwei,
Heilung braucht Zeit, kommt nicht herbei
Auf einen Schlag, braucht Ruh und Sinn,
Dann zieht der Schmerz vielleicht dahin.
EN:
A little cut, a deeper tear,
The wound it hurts, this much is clear.
Whether skin is harmed, or heart's in pain,
Healing takes time, won't come again
In just one go, needs rest and thought,
Then maybe pain will come to naught.
❓ What Am I?
DE:
Ich kann bluten, nässen, schmerzen sehr,
Mal bin ich klein, mal wie ein Meer.
Man deckt mich ab, man hält mich rein,
Ich kann am Körper oder in der Seele sein.
Was bin ich?
EN:
I can bleed, weep, hurt very much,
Sometimes I'm small, sometimes vast to touch.
People cover me, they keep me clean,
I can be on the body or within the soul, unseen.
What am I?
Answer: die Wunde (the wound)
🤓 Trivia & More
Word Compounds (Wortzusammensetzungen)
The word 'Wunde' forms part of many German compound nouns:
- Wundheilung: Wound healing.
- Wundversorgung: Wound care/treatment.
- Wundstarrkrampf: Tetanus (lockjaw).
- Schürfwunde, Schnittwunde, Platzwunde, Brandwunde: Scrape, cut, laceration, burn wound (specific types).
- Wunder Punkt: Sore spot, sensitive issue (figurative - note the spelling change to 'Wunder' here, though related in concept).
Etymology (Wortherkunft)
The word 'Wunde' comes from the Old High German word 'wunta', which also meant 'injury' or 'blow'. It is related to the verb 'winden' (to wind, twist), possibly suggesting a twisted or forced opening.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Wunde?
The German word 'Wunde' is a feminine noun. Therefore, the correct article is always die Wunde.