Learn Hardcore German: Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist laut Semesterplan in zwei Wochen. - The submission of the term paper is, according to the semester schedule, in two weeks.

abgeben (Verb) = to hand in / to submit
- Ich gebe die Hausarbeit ab. – I hand in the term paper.
die Abgabe (Nomen) = the submission (the act or event of handing something in)
- Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit – the submission of the term paper

German very often uses nouns like this to talk about events, deadlines, or processes in a neutral, formal way, especially in academic or administrative contexts. So instead of saying:

Die Hausarbeit muss in zwei Wochen abgegeben werden.
(The term paper has to be handed in in two weeks.)

you can nominalize it and say:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist in zwei Wochen.
(The submission of the term paper is in two weeks.)

Both are correct; the version with Abgabe sounds a bit more formal and “administrative”.

What case is der Hausarbeit and why isn’t it die Hausarbeit?

der Hausarbeit is feminine genitive singular.

The basic form is die Hausarbeit (nominative singular, feminine).
In the genitive singular, feminine nouns take der:
- die Hausarbeit → der Hausarbeit

In this sentence, der Hausarbeit depends on Abgabe and expresses possession:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit
literally: the submission of the term paper

So structurally, it is:

die Abgabe (Nominative – subject)
der Hausarbeit (Genitive – “of the term paper”)

You could also express it less formally with von:

Die Abgabe von der Hausarbeit ist in zwei Wochen.

But in good written German, the genitive (der Hausarbeit) is usually preferred over von der Hausarbeit here.

Could it also be des Hausarbeit in the genitive, and how do I know it’s feminine?

No, des Hausarbeit would be incorrect. Hausarbeit is feminine, so its genitive singular article must be der, not des.

Patterns to remember:

Masculine / neuter genitive singular: des
- des Semesters, des Plans, des Hauses
Feminine genitive singular: der
- der Hausarbeit, der Universität, der Prüfung

How to know Hausarbeit is feminine?

Dictionary: it will show die Hausarbeit.
The suffix -arbeit is often feminine:
- die Hausarbeit, die Schreibarbeit, die Gruppenarbeit

So die Hausarbeit → der Hausarbeit in the genitive singular.

What does laut mean here, and is it a preposition or something else?

Here laut is a preposition meaning “according to”:

laut Semesterplan = according to the semester schedule / according to the semester plan

So the core structure is:

[Etwas] ist laut [Quelle] …
= [Something] is, according to [source], …

Examples:

Laut Professor Müller fällt die Vorlesung heute aus.
According to Professor Müller, the lecture is cancelled today.
Laut Vertrag müssen Sie hier unterschreiben.
According to the contract, you must sign here.

So yes, in this sentence laut is a preposition introducing the source of information (Semesterplan).

Why is it laut Semesterplan and not laut dem Semesterplan?

Both versions are grammatically possible:

laut Semesterplan
laut dem Semesterplan

The difference is mainly stylistic:

Without an article (laut Semesterplan) is very common in official or written language, especially when the noun is a kind of document or source:
- laut Vertrag, laut Gesetz, laut Statistik, laut Plan
With an article (laut dem Semesterplan) is also correct and perhaps feels a bit more conversational or explicit:
- Laut dem Semesterplan ist die Abgabe…

In your sentence, laut Semesterplan sounds neutral–formal and typical for academic contexts. Adding dem would not change the meaning in any important way.

What case does laut take? Is Semesterplan in the dative or genitive?

Traditional grammar says that laut governs the genitive. In modern usage, however, laut can take either:

Genitive: laut des Semesterplans
Dative: laut dem Semesterplan

In practice:

In formal written German, genitive is preferred:
Laut des Semesterplans ist die Abgabe in zwei Wochen.
In everyday German, the dative is very common:
Laut dem Semesterplan ist die Abgabe in zwei Wochen.

In the form laut Semesterplan, you cannot see the case because there is no article, and Semesterplan looks the same in nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive singular. Native speakers don’t worry about it; the phrase is just fixed as laut Semesterplan.

For learners, it’s enough to remember:

With an article:
- formal: laut des Plans (genitive)
- common: laut dem Plan (dative)
Very common fixed style: laut Plan / laut Semesterplan / laut Vertrag (no article)

Why is it ist … in zwei Wochen with the present tense, and not something like wird in zwei Wochen sein?

German often uses the present tense to talk about future events, especially when they are scheduled or fixed:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist in zwei Wochen.
The submission of the term paper is in two weeks.

This is similar to English “The exam is next week” (not necessarily “will be”).

You could say:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit wird in zwei Wochen sein.

This is grammatically correct, but it:

sounds more formal or slightly heavier, and
is usually unnecessary when talking about clearly scheduled events (deadlines, timetables, appointments).

In everyday and academic contexts, present tense plus a future time expression (in zwei Wochen, morgen, nächste Woche) is the normal choice.

Why do we say in zwei Wochen instead of nach zwei Wochen?

Both in and nach can relate to time, but they mean different things:

in zwei Wochen = two weeks from now / in two weeks’ time
→ point in the future, counted from the present
nach zwei Wochen = after two weeks
→ “after a period of two weeks has passed,” often relative to some other event

In your sentence:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist in zwei Wochen.
The submission is in two weeks (from now).

If you said:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist nach zwei Wochen.

it would sound incomplete or unclear: After two weeks of what? It usually needs a reference:

Nach zwei Wochen Vorbereitungszeit ist die Abgabe der Hausarbeit.
After two weeks of preparation time, the submission takes place.

So for “two weeks from now,” use in zwei Wochen, not nach zwei Wochen.

Can I change the word order, for example: Laut Semesterplan ist die Abgabe der Hausarbeit in zwei Wochen?

Yes, that word order is very natural and in many contexts even more common:

Laut Semesterplan ist die Abgabe der Hausarbeit in zwei Wochen.

Both are correct:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist laut Semesterplan in zwei Wochen.
Laut Semesterplan ist die Abgabe der Hausarbeit in zwei Wochen.

Differences in feeling:

Starting with Laut Semesterplan puts more emphasis on the source of information:
- According to the semester schedule, the submission is in two weeks.
Keeping Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit at the beginning focuses first on the event, then adds the source:
- The submission of the term paper is, according to the semester schedule, in two weeks.

From a grammar perspective, both word orders are fine; it’s just a matter of emphasis and style.

What is the difference between Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist in zwei Wochen and Die Hausarbeit muss in zwei Wochen abgegeben werden?

They describe the same real-world situation (deadline in two weeks), but the focus and grammar differ:

Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist in zwei Wochen.
- Uses the noun Abgabe.
- Treats the submission as an event/date.
- Typical in announcements, schedules, written information.
- Neutral, somewhat formal.
Die Hausarbeit muss in zwei Wochen abgegeben werden.
- Uses the verb abgeben in the passive (abgegeben werden).
- Explicitly expresses obligation with muss (must).
- Focuses on what students have to do (they must hand it in).
- Slightly more direct about the requirement.

So:

Sentence 1: “The submission date is in two weeks.” (more like a fact)
Sentence 2: “The term paper must be handed in in two weeks.” (more like a requirement)

Both are correct; the choice depends on whether you want to describe a scheduled event or emphasize the obligation.

What exactly is a Semesterplan? Is it like a timetable?

Semesterplan literally means “semester plan” and usually refers to a plan or schedule that covers the whole semester. Depending on the institution, it can include:

Lecture times and dates
Breaks and holidays
Exam periods
Important deadlines (like the submission of term papers)

It is related to, but not exactly the same as:

der Stundenplan – timetable (usually weekly, per course or per person)
der Vorlesungsplan – schedule of lectures
der Prüfungsplan – exam schedule

In your sentence, laut Semesterplan means: “according to the official document that outlines how the semester is organized (including deadlines).”

How would the phrase change if we were talking about several term papers instead of one?

If you have multiple term papers, you would use the plural Hausarbeiten and the genitive plural der Hausarbeiten:

Singular:
- Die Abgabe der Hausarbeit ist in zwei Wochen.
  The submission of the term paper is in two weeks.
Plural:
- Die Abgabe der Hausarbeiten ist in zwei Wochen.
  The submission of the term papers is in two weeks.

Notes:

Hausarbeiten is the nominative plural form.
In the plural, the definite article die becomes der in the genitive:
- die Hausarbeiten → der Hausarbeiten

The rest of the sentence stays the same: ist laut Semesterplan in zwei Wochen.