besonderen

Besonderen is a German noun form that is most often used to refer to people or things regarded as remarkable or distinctive. In everyday usage it frequently appears in expressions such as zu den Besonderen gehören, meaning “to belong to the notable ones,” or in the definite plural die Besonderen, meaning “the special ones.” The form also appears in contexts where the word denotes a set of distinguished individuals or objects within a group.

Etymology and forms: The term derives from das Besondere, a neuter noun meaning “the special thing” or “the particular,” which in turn comes from the adjective besonders, meaning “special.” The ending -en marks inflected forms in plural and in certain cases, for example den Besonderen (dative plural) or zu den Besonderen (to the special ones). In philosophy and literature, das Besondere is used to distinguish the particular from the Allgemeine (the universal).

Usage: Besonderen tends to occur in formal, literary, or academic German rather than in casual speech. It conveys a sense of distinction or exceptional quality. In many contexts, speakers may prefer die Besonderen or die Besonderheiten to indicate “the special ones” or “the special features,” depending on whether they refer to people or things.

Examples: Zu den Besonderen gehören Wissenschaftler und Künstler. Er gehört zu den Besonderen. Die Besonderen sollten für ihr Engagement anerkannt werden.

See also: Besondere, das Besondere, Besonderheit, Allgemeine und Besondere.