noun
society, company
B1
Gesellschaft (f.) primarily means 'society' — the social group or public life — and 'company' — a business or legal entity. Noun is feminine; plural Gesellschaften. Common in compounds (Gesellschaftsform) and phrases (in der Gesellschaft). Regular declension; no irregular plural, used broadly in formal and informal contexts.
Examples
Die Studie ergab, dass die Gesellschaft im Laufe der Jahre mehr Verantwortung übernahm, weil die Bürger aktiver wurden.
The study showed that society took on more responsibility over the years because citizens became more active.
In der modernen Gesellschaft spielen soziale Medien eine große Rolle.
In modern society, social media play a major role.
Die Gesellschaft expandierte letztes Jahr in drei Länder.
The company expanded into three countries last year.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine a large group of people at a public square for 'society' and a corporate office building for 'company'.
Sounds a bit like 'guest-za-laft' — think 'a gathering or group' to remember the communal sense.
die — picture 'the society' as a community of women organizing an event to remember the feminine article.
Notes
Gesellschaft can mean either 'society' (a social group) or 'company' (a business) depending on context. Check surrounding words (e.g., 'die Gesellschaft X GmbH' signals a company).