Umgang

See also: umgang

German

Etymology

From Middle High German umbeganc, from Old High German umbigang (“a course, return”), from Proto-Germanic *umbigangaz (“a going around, circuit”), equivalent to um- +‎ Gang (“a gang, going”). Cognate with Dutch omgang, English umgang, Danish omgang, Swedish omgång, Norwegian omgang.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʊmɡaŋ/, [ˈʔʊmɡaŋ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Umgang m (strong, genitive Umganges or Umgangs, plural Umgänge)

1. dealings, (social) intercourse
   • 1960, Marie Luise Kaschnitz, Das Wunder:

     Der Umgang mit Don Crescenzo ist schwierig, weil er überhaupt nichts hören kann.

     Dealing with Don Crescenzo is difficult because he can't hear anything at all.

2. acquaintances
3. (church) procession

Declension

Declension of Umgang [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Umgang	die	Umgänge
genitive	eines	des	Umganges, Umgangs	der	Umgänge
dative	einem	dem	Umgang, Umgange1	den	Umgängen
accusative	einen	den	Umgang	die	Umgänge

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• umgänglich
• Umgangssprache

Further reading

• “Umgang” in Duden online
• “Umgang” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache