If you happened to be reading a German article about a bracelet that Mick Jagger was wearing while recording the 1965 album Rolling Stones Vol. 2, you could potentially see the word Band appear three different times in single sentence, and yet the word would mean three very different things. That's a pretty unlikely scenario, but aren't you at least a little bit curious about the fact that there is a der, die and das Band?
The masculine noun der Band is probably the least common of the three, and is a term primarily used with publications, such as a volume in a book series.
Seine Arbeit hat er jetzt im Bildband „Werbung gegen Realität" veröffentlicht.
He has published his work in an illustrated volume "Advertising versus Reality.”
Caption 34, Werbung gegen Realität - Kunstprojekt Fertigprodukte
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The plural of der Band is die Bände.
The neuter noun das Band has the largest variety of applications and possible translations:
Allerdings ist es nicht das erste Band, das in diesem Jahr feierlich durchtrennt wurde.
However, this is not the first ribbon that was ceremoniously cut this year.
Caption 22, Rund um den Flughafen - Direktflug Frankfurt-Houston
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Das wird bei denen auf Band aufgezeichnet.
Because that is then recorded by them on tape.
Caption 57, Frankfurter Flughafen - Flugzeugschlepper
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Rund fünfundsiebzigtausend Exemplare liefen insgesamt vom Band.
Around seventy-five thousand specimens left the assembly line.
Caption 35, Porsche 356 - Der erste Porsche
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Das würde dann halt irgendwelche Bänder kosten da, wenn ich Pech hab'.
That would cost some ligaments then, if I'm unlucky.
Caption 91, Lokalhelden - Mini-Airplane - Part 2
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Note that the plural of das Band is die Bänder. Das Band is also used in a number of compound nouns, such as das Tonband (recording tape), das Fließband (assembly line or conveyer belt), das Armband (bracelet), das Halsband (collar or necklace), das Gummiband (rubber band) and many others.
And now to return to the Rolling Stones with the feminine noun die Band:
Die Band mit den spröden Songs und den klaren, ehrlichen Texten…
The band with the rough songs and the clear, honest lyrics…
Caption 9, Pankow - Rolling Stones des Ostens
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Und weil die in ganz vielen Bands gespielt haben…
And because they played in a lot of bands…
Caption 23, Lokalhelden - Art House - Part 3
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Thus die Band singular becomes die Bands plural, just as in English.
So to simply round it all up:
— der Band (die Bände) is mostly about publications;
— das Band (die Bänder) is mostly about things relating to belts and rubber bands, etc.
— die Band (die Bands) is about music groups.
Further Learning
Look at these many examples of compound words containing Band and see if you can find them on Yabla German to see them used in a real world context.
Every language has words that sound similar and are easy to mix up for non-native speakers, so this week we will look at the verbs verschwinden ("to disappear") and verschwenden ("to waste").
Wieso verschwinden sie?
Why are they disappearing?
Caption 8, Abgedreht - Heinrich und der Tassendieb
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Ich mag es nicht, Lebensmittel zu verschwenden.
I do not like to waste food.
Caption 50, Werbung gegen Realität - Kunstprojekt Fertigprodukte
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The past participles of the verbs are also important to memorize. The past participle of verschwinden is verschwunden, and the past tense uses the auxiliary verb sein rather than haben:
Heute sind sie nahezu verschwunden.
Today, they have almost disappeared.
Caption 22, Flipperautomaten - Kunstwerke für flinke Kugeln
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Verschwendet, which is the past participle of verschwenden, requires the auxiliary verb haben. However, it is often also used as an adjective and there is also the noun die Verschwendung.
Diese Zeit des Suchens,
This time spent looking for things,
äh, is' so 'ne Zeit, die ich verschwendet finde.
uh, is a time that I find to be wasted.
Caption 18, Tapetenwechsel - Barbara Becker mag es aufgeräumt
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„Welch eine Verschwendung von Gelb!", sagte Piggeldy.
"What a waste of yellow!" said Piggeldy.
Caption 36, Piggeldy und Frederick - Gelb
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Further Learning
Create your own devices to make sure you don't confuse the words (For example, you can remember that verschwinden and "disappear" both have an "i" in them) or their past participles. And you can always look for additional examples on Yabla German.
Nicht (not) is an adverb, and as a verb modifier will fall easily into place if you observe a few basic rules. It usually comes before another adverb or adjective, but unlike the English "not," usually comes after verbs.
Ich mag es nicht, Lebensmittel zu verschwenden.
Uh, I do not like to waste food.
Caption 50, Werbung gegen Realität - Kunstprojekt Fertigprodukte
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The German sentence above states literally: "I like it not..."
Declarative sentences and questions requiring simple yes or no answers usually have nicht falling at the end of the sentence, also unlike English:
Den brauchen wir nicht.
We do not need that.
Caption 24, Cannelloni - mit Jenny
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Du weißt auch nicht?
You do not know either?
Caption 6, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Der Relativsatz
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Nicht falls before the last part of a separable verb and before the infinitive in a sentence with a compound verb:
Aber die Dortmunder müssen und wollen sich nicht verstecken.
But the Dortmund [team] does not have or want to hide.
Caption 12, Der Pott ist da - Der DFB-Pokal
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Nicht is placed after adverbs of chronological time such as früher (earlier), gestern (yesterday), heute (today), morgen (tomorrow), and später (later).
Rock 'n' Roll ist heute nicht mehr so seins.
Rock 'n' roll today is no longer really his [thing].
Caption 39, Andreas Bourani - Startet durch
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In contrast, non-chronological adverbs are usually preceded by nicht.
Also, das muss nicht sofort funktionieren.
So this does not have to work immediately.
Caption 11, Yoga - Sonnengruß als Aufwärmung
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Further Learning:
Just remember that nicht only comes after chronological adverbs, otherwise nicht precedes all other adverbs, verb infinitives, adjectives, and prepositional phrases. See the wonderful examples of the placement of nicht at Grimm Grammar (scroll down to the bottom of the page, don't forget to hit the Play button!), then search Yabla videos to find nicht used in different contexts!
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