gerade

Gerade is a German word with multiple related uses in language and mathematics. The noun die Gerade denotes a straight line in geometry: a one-dimensional object extending without end in both directions, with zero curvature. In Euclidean geometry, any two distinct points determine a unique line. In analytic geometry, a line in the plane can be described by equations such as ax + by = c; if b ≠ 0 the slope is -a/b, while vertical lines occur when b = 0.

As an adjective, gerade means straight or even and is used to describe objects or alignments, for example eine gerade Linie (a straight line) or eine gerade Kante (a straight edge). The form is inflected to match gender, number, and case in sentences.

As an adverb, gerade expresses immediacy or current activity: Ich habe gerade gegessen (I have just eaten), Was machst du gerade? (What are you doing right now?). It can also convey emphasis or a sense of directness in time or sequence. In spatial direction, geradeaus means straight ahead or in a straight line, as in Gehen Sie geradeaus.

In everyday usage, gerade appears in various fixed expressions and compound forms, and it is common in mathematics classrooms, physics discussions, and everyday speech. Etymologically, it derives from Germanic roots meaning straight or correct, and it remains a versatile word in modern German.