die  Zusammenfassung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈtsuːzamənˌfasʊŋ/

📜 What does "die Zusammenfassung" mean?

Die Zusammenfassung (noun, feminine) refers to a brief, concise presentation of the most important content, results, or arguments of a longer text, speech, film, or event. It provides an overview of the essentials without going into detail.

• Core idea: Getting the most important points across succinctly.
• Goal: Quick information about the main content.

You often find a Zusammenfassung at the beginning or end of academic papers (Abstract), in book reviews, meeting minutes, or as a school assignment.

🚨 Note: A Zusammenfassung is not a retelling (Nacherzählung) and should not contain new information or personal opinions that are not present in the original source.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Zusammenfassung

The word "Zusammenfassung" is a feminine noun. The article is always die.

Declension of "die Zusammenfassung"

Here is how the word changes in the different German cases (Kasus):

📝 Example Sentences

1. Der Lehrer bat um eine kurze Zusammenfassung des Kapitels.
   (The teacher asked for a short summary of the chapter.)
2. Die Zusammenfassung der Studie wurde in einer Fachzeitschrift veröffentlicht.
   (The summary of the study was published in a professional journal.)
3. Kannst du mir bitte eine mündliche Zusammenfassung der Besprechung geben?
   (Can you please give me an oral summary of the meeting?)
4. Am Ende des Buches findest du eine Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Ereignisse.
   (At the end of the book, you will find a summary of the most important events.)

💡 How "die Zusammenfassung" is used

"Die Zusammenfassung" is a frequently used word, especially in contexts where information needs to be condensed:

• Schule & Universität (School & University): Pupils and students write Zusammenfassungen of texts, readings, or lectures as study aids or for exams.
• Beruf & Wirtschaft (Work & Business): Oral summaries are often given in meetings. Minutes (Protokolle) contain written Zusammenfassungen of decisions. Managers need summaries (Executive Summaries) of reports.
• Medien & Literatur (Media & Literature): Book covers (Klappentext) or film descriptions often contain short Zusammenfassungen of the plot. News broadcasts frequently start with a Zusammenfassung of the main headlines.

Difference to similar words:

• Inhaltsangabe: Very similar, often used synonymously. Sometimes emphasizes chronological recounting (e.g., of a story).
• Überblick: Provides a general orientation, but doesn't have to be as structured as a Zusammenfassung.
• Resümee: Often synonymous, sometimes implies a concluding statement or personal assessment (which a pure Zusammenfassung shouldn't have).
• Abriss: A very brief, often superficial summary.
• Abstract: The specific academic form of a summary, usually at the beginning of a research paper.

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Zusammenfassung"

Article Mnemonic (die): Many German nouns ending in "-ung" are feminine (die), like die Meinung (opinion), die Rechnung (bill), die Wohnung (apartment). Think of the "-ung" ending as a signpost for die. So, it's die Zusammenfassung. Imagine a female librarian summarizing books – she uses die Zusammenfassung.

Meaning Mnemonic (Summary): Break the word down: "zusammen" means together, and "fassen" means to grasp or to capture. So, a Zusammenfassung is where you grasp/capture everything together in a short form – a summary.

🔁 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Watch out: Don't confuse die Zusammenfassung with die Zusammenführung (merger, reunion) or die Fassung (version, composure).

😂 A Little Joke

Lehrer: "Wer kann den Roman 'Krieg und Frieden' in drei Worten zusammenfassen?"
Schüler: "Sehr, sehr lang?"

(Teacher: "Who can summarize the novel 'War and Peace' in three words?"
Student: "Very, very long?")

✍️ Poem about the Summary

Ein Text, so lang, ein Meer von Wort,
(A text so long, a sea of words,)
wer findet da den roten Faden fort?
(Who can find the common thread there?)
Man sucht den Kern, das, was er meint,
(One seeks the core, what it means,)
wo die Essenz im Licht erscheint.
(Where the essence appears in light.)

Da hilft sie sehr, kurz und mit Bedacht,
(It helps a lot, short and deliberate,)
die Zusammenfassung, gut gemacht.
(The summary, well done.)
Sie fasst das Wichtige geschwind,
(It captures the important things quickly,)
dass man den Durchblick schnell gewinnt.
(So that one quickly gains perspective.)

🤔 A Little Riddle

Ich bin keine ganze Geschichte, nur ihr Kern,
(I am not a whole story, just its core,)
halte das Wichtigste fest, das hört man gern.
(I capture the most important things, people like to hear that.)
Langem Gerede setz' ich ein End',
(I put an end to long talks,)
bin in der Schule und im Job präsent.
(I am present in school and at work.)

Was bin ich?
(What am I?)
... die Zusammenfassung (the summary)

Additional Information

Word Composition

The word "Zusammenfassung" is composed of:

• zusammen: (together) Prefix/adverb expressing unity or community.
• fassen: (to grasp, capture, seize, put into words) Verb used here in the sense of 'to comprehend' or 'to formulate'.
• -ung: Suffix used to form feminine nouns from verbs, often denoting the result of an action.

So, literally: The result of grasping/formulating together.