Arbeit

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German

Etymology

From Middle High German arbeit, from Old High German arbeit, from Proto-West Germanic *arbaiþi, from Proto-Germanic *arbaidiz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃órbʰos (“orphan, servant, slave”), from which English orphan is also derived. Cognate with Yiddish אַרבעט (arbet), Old English earfoþe.

Pronunciation

Noun

Arbeit f (genitive Arbeit, plural Arbeiten) (uncountable, countable)[n 1]

  1. toil, regularly performed work, regularly pursued economic activity, labor, job, employment, occupation
    Synonyms: Beschäftigung, Beruf, (archaic) Werk, (if paid) Erwerb, (if paid) Erwerbstätigkeit, (if paid) Erwerbsarbeit
    Seine Arbeit macht ihm Spaß. ― He enjoys his work/job.
    Ich kann gerade nicht. Ich bin bei der Arbeit! ― I can't do it now. I am at work!
    Er war auf dem Weg zur Arbeit. ― He was on the way to work.
    Er war auf der Arbeit. ― He was on his work place.
    Während der Arbeit ― While doing work.
    Während der Arbeitszeit ― During work.
    Er ging zur Arbeit. ― He went to his work place.
    Er ging auf die Arbeit. (East-Westphalia) ― He went to his work place.
    In diesem Dorfe gibt es keine Arbeit. ― There are no opportunities for employment in this hamlet.
    Er hat keine Arbeit. ― He is without employment/He lollygags.
  2. job, task, assignment
    Synonyms: (literary) Werk, Aufgabe, Pensum
    Ich muss zuvor noch einige Arbeiten erledigen. ― First I have to complete some assignments/finish some jobs.
    Er ging an die Arbeit. ― He tackled his job.
    • 1801, Wilhelm von Humboldt, “Die Vasken”, in Werke in fünf Bänden. Herausgegeben von Andreas Flitner und Klaus Giel, volume II, Darmstadt: WBG, published 2010, S. 499:
      Die grosse Schwierigkeit, welche der Ackerbau in Biscaya zu überwinden hat, ist die Härte und Strenge des Bodens. Sie durchpflügen ihn daher nicht nur mehreremale nach einander, sondern bedienen sich auch dazu einiger ganz eigener Werkzeuge. Das eigenthümlichste unter denselben ist die laya. Sie besteht aus einer langen und spitzigen zweizackigen Gabel mit einem kurzen Stiel, der aber nicht in der Mitte, sondern an dem einen Ende befestigt ist. Jeder Arbeiter hat zwei solche Gabeln in der Hand, sticht sie horizontal in die Erde ein, drückt sie, mit einem, oder auch wohl mit beiden Füssen zugleich darauf tretend, noch tiefer ein, und reisst dann, den Stiel nach sich zu niederdrückend, ein ganzes grosses Rasenstück auf einmal los und wendet es herum. Diese schon durch das stete Bücken äusserst beschwerliche Arbeit wird immer, wie bei uns das Graben, zugleich von mehreren verrichtet, und daher kommt das in die Spanische Sprache übergegangene Sprichwort: son de una misma laya, sie sind eines Gelichters.
      The great difficulty which soil cultivation has to surmount in Biscaya, is the hardness and strength of the bottom. They till it therefore not only multiple times in succession, but also employ some peculiar instruments. The most peculiar under them is the laya. It consists in a long and spiky two-pronged fork with a short shaft, which however isn’t fastened in the middle, but at one end. Each labourer has two such forks in his hand, sticks them horizontally into the earth, pushes them, with one, or peradventure with both feet simultaneously treading on them, even deeper, and tears then, pushing the shaft down to him, a whole bit of lawn at once aloose and turns it over. This job onerous already by way of the constanting stooping is always, as with us graving, performed at the same time by many, and hence comes the saying passed into Spanish: son de una misma laya, they are of one kind.
  3. effort, work, human expenditure
    Synonyms: Aufwand, Mühe
    Das ist mir zu viel Arbeit. ― This is too much effort for me.
    Nach der Operation muss für zwei bis drei Tage die Arbeit gemieden werden. ― After the surgical operation work should be avoided for two to three days.
    • 1801, Wilhelm von Humboldt, “Die Vasken”, in Werke in fünf Bänden. Herausgegeben von Andreas Flitner und Klaus Giel, volume II, Darmstadt: WBG, published 2010, S. 500:
      Die Erdschollen, die noch nach diesen Arbeiten nicht ganz zerlockert zurückbleiben, werden mit einer Art Schlägel, mazuba, noch zuletzt einzeln zermalmt.
      The clods which remain not fully loosened after these efforts are crushed at last with a kind of maul, mazuba, one by one.
  4. performance, workmanship, work, the result of effort that might consist in a product or performance itself depending on what is owed[n 2]
    Sagenhafte Arbeit! ― Great work!
    Gute Arbeit muss belohnt werden. ― Decent work must be requited.
  5. (physics) work, energy transmitted by force through a body

Usage notes

  1. ^ Countability is principally agreeable for all senses except the physics one, but only in the senses of a “task, assignment” or an “effort” or the “concrete result of an effort” likely or unmarked. The countability increases in determinative compounds.
  2. ^ According to the German contract law there is a principal distinction between the Werkvertrag consisting in a result (Erfolg) being owed and the Dienstvertrag – also including the Arbeitsvertrag the definition of which has been incorporated in 2017 into the § 611a I BGB which is characterized by the personal dependence of the employee and his being subjected to the instructions of the employer –, consisting in an activity (Tätigkeit) being owed (compare the Roman locatio conductio operarum and locatio conductio operis), though there are atypical contracts for the treatment of which jurisprudence adduces rules from all contract types, including from the rules concerning the rental agreement (Mietvertrag, locatio conductio rei). Additionally, officials (Beamte) are not redeemed for their actual or individually performed work but the performance normatively expected from the respective office holder (Die entgoltene Leistung ist nicht die individuell-persönliche Leistung des einzelnen Beamten, sondern die vom jeweiligen Amtsinhaber normativ erwartete Leistung.) For this reason it is being advised not as a quip to avoid to say “Arbeit” and “Beamte” in one sentence. More typical expressions for officials are something about Dienst or Pflicht they leisten and erfüllen. But such subtleties are rarely noted by laymen.

Declension

Declension of Arbeit
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative eine die Arbeit die Arbeiten
genitive einer der Arbeit der Arbeiten
dative einer der Arbeit den Arbeiten
accusative eine die Arbeit die Arbeiten

Derived terms

Descendants

  • → Japanese: アルバイト (arubaito, “part-time job”), バイト (baito)
  • → Korean: 아르바이트 (areubaiteu)

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia