Zustandes

Zustandes is the genitive singular form of the German noun Zustand, which means "state" or "condition." In standard usage it is not a standalone term frequently encountered outside possessive constructions; the normal possessive phrase is des Zustandes. For example, one can say die Beschreibung des Zustandes des Systems (the description of the state of the system). The nominative singular is Zustand, the plural nominative is Zustände, and the genitive plural is der Zustände.

Usage and contexts

Zustand is a common word across many domains, while Zustandes is confined to its grammatical function as the genitive form. In everyday language people usually refer to a state simply as Zustand. In formal writing, technical texts, or legal contexts you may see phrases that include des Zustandes, especially when describing the condition of something over time or relative to criteria.

Scientific and technical relevance

In science and engineering, the concept of a state is central. Terms like thermodynamic Zustand (thermodynamic state) describe a system’s condition using state variables such as temperature, pressure, and volume. In computing, Zustand denotes the program or application state, and related terms appear in discussions of stateful versus stateless designs or in automatons like Zustandsautomaten (state machines).

Etymology and relation to related forms

Zustandes derives from the noun Zustand; the form reflects standard German genitive singular endings. Related forms include Zustand (singular), Zustände (plural), and der Zustände (genitive plural).

See also

Zustand, Zustandsautomat, Zustandsgleichung.