die Tour
die Tour em 30 segundos
- Die Tour is a feminine noun meaning a planned journey, trip, or circuit, often returning to the start.
- Commonly used in compounds like Radtour (bike) or Bergtour (mountain) to describe specific outdoor activities.
- Can figuratively refer to a person's behavior or a trick, such as 'eine krumme Tour' (a shady trick).
- In technical contexts, it refers to engine speed (RPM), seen in the phrase 'auf Touren kommen'.
The German noun die Tour is a versatile term that primarily refers to a journey, trip, or circuit undertaken for pleasure, exercise, or specific exploration. At its core, it implies a movement that eventually returns to its starting point or covers a series of planned stops. In a literal sense, it is synonymous with an excursion or a guided visit. However, its semantic range extends far beyond simple travel. In the context of sports, it describes a specific route or a competitive circuit, such as a cycling race or a mountain climbing expedition. In more colloquial or metaphorical German, 'Tour' can describe a person's behavior, a trick, or the 'way' someone is acting, often with a negative connotation when paired with adjectives like 'krumm' (shady).
- Grammar Category
- Feminine Noun (die Tour, plural: die Touren)
- Core Meaning
- A planned journey or route for sightseeing, sport, or work.
- Etymology
- Derived from the French 'tour', which traces back to the Latin 'tornus' (lathe/circle).
Wir machen am Wochenende eine Tour durch den Schwarzwald.
When we look at the word in a broader cultural context, 'die Tour' represents the German love for structured leisure and outdoor activity. Whether it is a 'Radtour' (bike tour), a 'Stadttour' (city tour), or a 'Bergtour' (mountain hike), the word suggests a level of planning and a specific destination. Unlike 'die Reise' (the journey/travel), which can be open-ended and long-distance, a 'Tour' is usually contained within a specific timeframe and often involves returning home or to a base camp. It is the quintessential word for the weekend adventurer and the organized tourist alike.
Die geführte Tour durch das Museum beginnt um zehn Uhr.
- Usage in Sports
- Refers to stages in cycling (Etappen) or specific hiking routes.
- Usage in Business
- Refers to a delivery route or a series of client visits.
Furthermore, the word appears in many idiomatic expressions. For instance, 'auf Touren kommen' means to get up to speed or to get going, originally referring to the revolutions of an engine. If someone is on a 'Egotour', they are acting purely out of self-interest. This flexibility makes 'die Tour' one of the most useful nouns for students moving from A2 to B1 levels, as it bridges the gap between concrete travel vocabulary and abstract social descriptions.
Komm mal langsam auf Touren, wir müssen los!
Using die Tour correctly requires understanding its collocations and the specific verbs it pairs with. Most commonly, you 'make' a tour (eine Tour machen) or 'plan' a tour (eine Tour planen). When you are currently traveling, you are 'auf Tour' (on tour). This is particularly common for musicians or athletes. Because it is a feminine noun, pay close attention to the endings of accompanying adjectives: 'eine lange Tour', 'der schönen Tour', 'den interessanten Touren'.
- Common Verbs
- machen, planen, buchen, starten, beenden, führen.
- Prepositions
- auf (auf einer Tour), durch (eine Tour durch Berlin), nach (eine Tour nach Italien).
Hast du die Tour für unseren Urlaub schon geplant?
Compound nouns are a hallmark of German, and 'Tour' is a frequent component. You can specify the mode of transport or the destination by prefixing the word. A 'Radtour' is a bicycle tour, a 'Skitour' involves skiing, and a 'Weltraumtour' would be a trip to space. In these cases, the gender remains feminine because the head of the compound (Tour) is feminine. This allows for very precise communication without needing long descriptive phrases.
Die Radtour am Rhein war sehr anstrengend aber schön.
In a more figurative sense, 'Tour' is used to describe a method or a way of doing things. For example, 'auf die sanfte Tour' means 'the gentle way' or 'doing it nicely'. Conversely, 'eine krumme Tour' refers to a dishonest or 'crooked' way of behaving. This usage is very common in movies and literature to describe character motivations. Understanding these nuances helps you sound more like a native speaker and less like a textbook.
- Adjective Pairings
- geführte (guided), anstrengende (exhausting), tägliche (daily), krumme (shady).
Versuch es doch mal auf die nette Tour.
You will encounter die Tour in a variety of settings, ranging from the highly formal to the very casual. In a tourism office (Fremdenverkehrsamt), you will hear it used for sightseeing packages. 'Möchten Sie eine Stadtrundfahrt oder eine private Tour?' In this context, it is professional and service-oriented. Similarly, at a hotel reception, the staff might recommend a 'Wandertour' in the nearby mountains.
Die Band ist momentan auf großer Europa-Tour.
In the world of sports broadcasting, especially during the summer, 'die Tour' often refers specifically to the 'Tour de France'. Commentators will discuss the 'Etappen der Tour' (stages of the tour) or the 'Gesamtwertung der Tour' (overall standings). Even outside of cycling, any multi-stage competition might be referred to as a tour. In gyms or automotive contexts, you'll hear 'Touren' in reference to engine speed, often in the phrase 'den Motor auf Touren bringen' (revving the engine).
- Tourism
- Guided walks, bus trips, boat excursions.
- Music Industry
- Concert tours and promotional circuits.
- Daily Life
- Errands or a specific way of behaving toward others.
Socially, you might hear it in an argument or a critique of someone's behavior. If someone says, 'Nicht mit dieser Tour!', they are essentially saying 'Don't try that trick with me!' or 'I see what you're doing!'. This demonstrates the word's shift from a physical journey to a psychological tactic. It's a powerful word because it captures both the physical movement through space and the strategic movement through social interactions.
Diese mitleidige Tour zieht bei mir nicht.
One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is confusing die Tour with 'die Reise' or 'der Ausflug'. While they all relate to travel, they are not interchangeable. A 'Reise' is generally longer and involves going to a distant place (like a vacation to another country). An 'Ausflug' is a short excursion, usually a day trip. A 'Tour' specifically implies a route or a sequence of points. You wouldn't say 'Ich mache eine Tour nach Spanien' if you are just flying there and staying in one hotel; that's a 'Reise'.
- Tour vs. Reise
- Tour = route/circuit; Reise = general travel/vacation.
- Tour vs. Fahrt
- Fahrt = the act of driving/moving; Tour = the planned itinerary.
Falsch: Ich mache eine Tour nach Paris für zwei Wochen. (Besser: Reise)
Another common error is the gender. Because many international words ending in '-our' or '-ur' can be tricky, students sometimes use 'der Tour' or 'das Tour'. It is strictly feminine: die Tour. Additionally, the plural is 'die Touren'. Some learners try to use 'die Tours' (influenced by English), but this is incorrect in standard German. Always remember the '-en' ending for the plural form.
Finally, learners often struggle with the figurative meanings. Using 'Tour' to mean 'behavior' requires specific adjectives. You can't just say 'Deine Tour ist schlecht' without context. It's usually 'Deine egoistische Tour' or 'Diese Tour'. Also, be careful with the phrase 'auf Touren'. It is almost always plural in the sense of speed/RPM. Saying 'auf Tour kommen' (singular) sounds like you are starting a travel journey, whereas 'auf Touren kommen' (plural) means getting up to speed.
Richtig: Der Motor kommt langsam auf Touren.
To truly master die Tour, it's helpful to compare it with its synonyms and related terms. The closest synonym in a travel context is die Rundreise. A 'Rundreise' is literally a 'round journey', which perfectly matches the 'circuit' aspect of a tour. However, 'Rundreise' is usually used for larger-scale travel, like a two-week trip around Italy, whereas 'Tour' can be as small as a two-hour walk through a neighborhood.
- der Ausflug
- A short trip or excursion, often for leisure on a weekend.
- die Wanderung
- Specifically a hiking tour on foot.
- die Fahrt
- A journey in a vehicle (car, bus, train).
Die Wanderung war toll, aber die Tour war zu lang.
In the figurative sense (behavior), synonyms include die Masche (the trick/tactic) or die Art und Weise (the way and manner). If someone says 'Das ist seine übliche Masche', it's very similar to saying 'Das ist seine übliche Tour'. Both imply a repetitive, perhaps slightly manipulative, pattern of behavior. 'Die Masche' is more informal and often implies a specific trick used to gain an advantage.
In a technical or professional sense, die Route is a close relative. A delivery driver has a 'Route' or a 'Tour'. The difference is subtle: 'Route' focuses on the path on the map, while 'Tour' focuses on the entire activity of going through that path and completing the tasks associated with it. Understanding these distinctions allows for more precise and sophisticated German communication.
Die Route ist fest, aber die Tour dauert heute länger.
How Formal Is It?
Nível de dificuldade
Gramática essencial
Feminine noun declension
Compound noun formation
Prepositions with accusative (durch)
Prepositions with dative (nach, mit)
Plural formation with -en
Exemplos por nível
Ich mache eine Tour.
I am doing a tour.
Simple subject-verb-object.
Die Tour ist schön.
The tour is beautiful.
Attributive adjective usage.
Ist die Tour teuer?
Is the tour expensive?
Interrogative sentence.
Wir machen eine Radtour.
We are doing a bike tour.
Compound noun: Rad + Tour.
Die Tour beginnt hier.
The tour starts here.
Present tense verb 'beginnen'.
Meine Tour war lang.
My tour was long.
Possessive pronoun 'meine'.
Kaufst du die Tour?
Are you buying the tour?
Direct object in accusative.
Das ist eine Stadt-Tour.
That is a city tour.
Noun-noun combination.
Wir planen eine Tour durch die Alpen.
We are planning a tour through the Alps.
Preposition 'durch' + accusative.
Die geführte Tour dauert zwei Stunden.
The guided tour lasts two hours.
Adjective 'geführte' in nominative.
Ich habe eine Bergtour gemacht.
I did a mountain tour.
Perfekt tense with 'haben'.
Welche Tour empfiehlst du?
Which tour do you recommend?
Interrogative pronoun 'welche'.
Die Tour war sehr anstrengend.
The tour was very exhausting.
Adverb 'sehr' modifying adjective.
Morgen machen wir eine Bootstour.
Tomorrow we are doing a boat tour.
Time adverb 'morgen'.
Ich mag diese Tour nicht.
I don't like this tour.
Negation with 'nicht'.
Gibt es eine Tour für Kinder?
Is there a tour for children?
Preposition 'für' + accusative.
Die Band ist seit einem Monat auf Tour.
The band has been on tour for a month.
Prepositional phrase 'auf Tour'.
Wir müssen die Tour wegen des Regens absagen.
We have to cancel the tour because of the rain.
Genitive with 'wegen'.
Er kommt langsam auf Touren.
He is slowly getting up to speed.
Idiom 'auf Touren kommen'.
Die Tour beinhaltet auch das Mittagessen.
The tour also includes lunch.
Verb 'beinhaltet' (includes).
Können wir die Tour online buchen?
Can we book the tour online?
Modal verb 'können'.
Die Tour führt an vielen Sehenswürdigkeiten vorbei.
The tour passes by many sights.
Separable verb 'vorbeiführen'.
Ich habe die Tour bereits bezahlt.
I have already paid for the tour.
Perfekt tense of 'bezahlen'.
Nach der Tour waren wir alle müde.
After the tour, we were all tired.
Dative after 'nach'.
Versuch es nicht mit dieser mitleidigen Tour!
Don't try that 'pity me' act!
Figurative use of 'Tour'.
Das war eine ganz krumme Tour von ihm.
That was a very shady trick of his.
Idiom 'krumme Tour'.
Der Motor läuft auf hohen Touren.
The engine is running at high RPM.
Technical use of 'Touren'.
Sie hat die Tour professionell organisiert.
She organized the tour professionally.
Adverbial use of 'professionell'.
Wir haben die Tour auf eigene Faust gemacht.
We did the tour on our own.
Idiom 'auf eigene Faust'.
Die Tour de France ist das wichtigste Radrennen.
The Tour de France is the most important bike race.
Proper noun usage.
Er ist auf einer Werbetour für sein neues Buch.
He is on a promotional tour for his new book.
Compound 'Werbetour'.
Diese Tour zieht bei mir nicht mehr.
That trick doesn't work on me anymore.
Colloquial usage of 'ziehen'.
Die politische Tour de Force war beeindruckend.
The political tour de force was impressive.
Loan phrase 'Tour de Force'.
Er versucht es immer wieder auf die sanfte Tour.
He tries it over and over again the gentle way.
Adverbial phrase 'auf die sanfte Tour'.
Die Tournee wurde aufgrund mangelnden Interesses abgesagt.
The tour was cancelled due to lack of interest.
Related word 'Tournee' (concert tour).
Ihre egoistische Tour schadet dem Teamgeist.
Her selfish behavior is damaging the team spirit.
Attributive adjective 'egoistische'.
Man muss den Motor erst warmfahren, bevor man auf Touren kommt.
You have to warm up the engine before getting up to speed.
Complex sentence with 'bevor'.
Die Tour durch die Geschichte der Architektur war faszinierend.
The journey through the history of architecture was fascinating.
Metaphorical 'Tour'.
Er hat sich auf eine gefährliche Tour eingelassen.
He got involved in a dangerous business.
Reflexive verb 'sich einlassen auf'.
Die Tour war akribisch bis ins kleinste Detail geplant.
The tour was meticulously planned down to the smallest detail.
Adverb 'akribisch'.
Seine rhetorische Tour war ein Meisterwerk der Manipulation.
His rhetorical tactic was a masterpiece of manipulation.
Abstract noun usage.
Die Tour durch die Abgründe der menschlichen Seele.
The journey through the depths of the human soul.
Literary/Philosophical usage.
Er beherrscht die Tour der subtilen Einschüchterung perfekt.
He perfectly masters the tactic of subtle intimidation.
Genitive construction.
Die gesamte Tour war von Anfang an zum Scheitern verurteilt.
The entire undertaking was doomed to failure from the start.
Passive-like construction 'zum Scheitern verurteilt'.
In einer Tour redete er auf mich ein, ohne Punkt und Komma.
He talked at me incessantly, without stopping for a breath.
Idiom 'in einer Tour' (constantly).
Diese Tour ist unter seinem Niveau.
This behavior is beneath him.
Prepositional phrase 'unter seinem Niveau'.
Die Tour de Horizon bot einen umfassenden Überblick.
The overview provided a comprehensive survey.
Loan phrase 'Tour d'Horizon'.
Er hat die Tour der Selbstinszenierung auf die Spitze getrieben.
He took the act of self-staging to the extreme.
Idiom 'auf die Spitze treiben'.
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
Frequentemente confundido com
Expressões idiomáticas
Fácil de confundir
Means 'tower', sounds slightly similar.
Means 'gate' or 'goal'.
Means 'door'.
Means 'expensive', shares some sounds.
Means 'back/return'.
Padrões de frases
Como usar
The plural 'Touren' is used for RPM in cars.
Be careful with 'krumme Tour'; it's quite strong and implies dishonesty.
Use 'Tour' for a route, 'Reise' for a long trip, and 'Ausflug' for a day trip.
-
Der Tour
The word is feminine, not masculine.
-
Die Tours
The plural ending is -en, not -s.
-
Ich mache eine Tour nach Berlin (for 2 weeks)
Tour implies a route, Reise implies a destination/stay.
-
In einer Tour reden (singular engine)
Don't confuse the 'constantly' idiom with the 'speed' idiom.
-
Eine Tour machen (for a simple walk)
Tour is usually more planned or extensive than a simple walk.
Dicas
Gender Tip
Always associate 'Tour' with 'die'. Imagine a woman leading a group of tourists to remember the feminine gender.
Compound Power
You can create almost any activity tour by adding a noun: Radtour, Skitour, Wandertour, Weintour.
Idiom Usage
Use 'auf Touren kommen' when you are talking about your morning coffee finally working!
Precision
In professional emails, use 'Liefertour' or 'Zustelltour' instead of just 'Weg' to sound more professional.
Alpine Context
In the Alps, a 'Tour' usually implies a serious hike or climb, not just a walk.
Context Clues
If you hear 'Touren' in a car commercial, they are talking about the engine's power.
Social Critique
Say 'Nicht mit mir, diese Tour!' to someone trying to manipulate you.
Level Up
Try to use 'Tour' in your next German diary entry about your weekend.
Planning
A 'Rundtour' is a tour that ends exactly where it started.
Vowel Sound
Make sure the 'ou' is a pure 'u' sound, not a diphthong like in English 'tower'.
Memorize
Origem da palavra
French 'tour'
Contexto cultural
Hiking tours are a national pastime in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Bicycle tours (Radtouren) are supported by extensive infrastructure like the 'Donauradweg'.
Germans use 'Tour' to call out social manipulation, showing a direct communication style.
Pratique na vida real
Contextos reais
Iniciadores de conversa
"Hast du schon mal eine Tour durch Berlin gemacht?"
"Was war deine schönste Bergtour?"
"Planst du dieses Jahr eine Radtour?"
"Magst du lieber geführte Touren oder gehst du alleine?"
"Kennst du eine gute Tour für das Wochenende?"
Temas para diário
Beschreibe deine letzte Tour in den Bergen.
Welche Tour würdest du gerne einmal machen?
Warum sind Radtouren in Deutschland so beliebt?
Erinnere dich an eine Tour, die nicht nach Plan verlief.
Was hältst du von geführten Stadttouren?
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasJa, es wurde aus dem Französischen übernommen und ist seit Jahrhunderten fester Bestandteil der deutschen Sprache.
Der Plural von Tour ist 'die Touren'.
Eher nicht. Für eine Weltreise benutzt man 'Weltreise'. 'Tour' passt besser zu einer Rundreise mit vielen Stopps.
Es bedeutet, in Schwung zu kommen oder die Geschwindigkeit zu erhöhen, wie ein Motor.
Nein, es kann auch eine Stadtbesichtigung im Bus oder eine Lieferroute sein.
Das ist eine unehrliche Handlungsweise oder ein Betrugsversuch.
Nein, es ist immer 'die Tour' (feminin).
Bands gehen 'auf Tour', wenn sie in vielen Städten Konzerte geben.
Ein Ausflug ist meistens kürzer (ein Tag) und hat oft nur ein Ziel. Eine Tour hat meistens mehrere Stationen.
Ja, man kann 'durch Deutschland touren', was bedeutet, eine Reise mit vielen Stationen zu machen.
Teste-se 180 perguntas
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Die Tour is the essential German word for any planned, multi-stop journey. Whether you are sightseeing in a city, cycling through the countryside, or describing someone's suspicious behavior, this versatile feminine noun is your go-to term.
- Die Tour is a feminine noun meaning a planned journey, trip, or circuit, often returning to the start.
- Commonly used in compounds like Radtour (bike) or Bergtour (mountain) to describe specific outdoor activities.
- Can figuratively refer to a person's behavior or a trick, such as 'eine krumme Tour' (a shady trick).
- In technical contexts, it refers to engine speed (RPM), seen in the phrase 'auf Touren kommen'.
Gender Tip
Always associate 'Tour' with 'die'. Imagine a woman leading a group of tourists to remember the feminine gender.
Compound Power
You can create almost any activity tour by adding a noun: Radtour, Skitour, Wandertour, Weintour.
Idiom Usage
Use 'auf Touren kommen' when you are talking about your morning coffee finally working!
Precision
In professional emails, use 'Liefertour' or 'Zustelltour' instead of just 'Weg' to sound more professional.
Exemplo
Morgen machen wir eine Fahrradtour durch die Weinberge.
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