Meaning and translations

Definition

Information or a fact known by few people and not meant to be shared.

Translations
English
secret
Français
secret
Türkçe
sır
Polski
tajemnica
Русский
секрет
Українська
таємниця

Grammar & classification

Article
das
Gender
Neuter
Plural
Geheimnisse
Part of speech
Noun
CEFR level
A2
Topics
Emotions & PersonalityPrimary

Usage examples

  1. Dieses Geheimnis ist seit Jahren gut gehütet.NominativSing.This secret has been well kept for years.
  2. Sie hat das Geheimnis niemandem erzählt.AkkusativSing.She told no one the secret.
  3. Mit dem Geheimnis belastete er seine Freundin nicht.DativSing.He did not burden his girlfriend with the secret.

Pronunciation and forms

  • Lemma
    Geheimnis/ɡəˈhaɪ̯mnɪs/
  • Article phrase
    das Geheimnis/das ɡəˈhaɪ̯mnɪs/
  • Plural
    Geheimnisse/ɡəˈhaɪ̯mnɪsə/

Declension / Forms

CaseSingularPlural
Nominativdas Geheimnisdie Geheimnisse
Akkusativdas Geheimnisdie Geheimnisse
Dativdem Geheimnisden Geheimnissen
Genitivdes Geheimnissesder Geheimnisse

Usage and collocations

  • Adjective combinationein gut gehütetes Geheimnis
  • Collocationein Geheimnis bewahren
  • Collocationein Geheimnis verraten

Semantic relations

  • Easily confused withRätsel — riddle

    A Rätsel must be solved; a Geheimnis is deliberately hidden from others.

  • Broader termInformation — information

    Information is the broader term; a Geheimnis is an Information that is deliberately not meant to be passed on.

  • Narrower termStaatsgeheimnis

    A Staatsgeheimnis is a specific Geheimnis concerning state affairs.

Word formation and word family

Word family

  • geheimDerivationally related
  • GeheimhaltungCompound-related