das  Manöver

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/maˈnøːvɐ/

🧐 What exactly is a Manöver?

The German word das Manöver (noun, neuter) has several meanings, often revolving around planned movements or actions:

• Military exercise 🎖️: A large-scale exercise involving troops for training and demonstrating operational readiness. Example: Das jährliche Herbstmanöver findet im Süden statt. (The annual autumn maneuver takes place in the south.)
• Skillful move/action 🚗: A purposeful, often difficult movement, e.g., with a vehicle, or in a figurative sense (negotiation, strategic move). Example: Mit einem geschickten Manöver parkte er das Auto ein. (With a skillful maneuver, he parked the car.) Ein politisches Manöver führte zur Abstimmung. (A political maneuver led to the vote.)
• Diversionary tactic/Feint 🤔: An action intended to distract or mislead someone. Example: Sein plötzlicher Themenwechsel war nur ein Ablenkungsmanöver. (His sudden change of topic was just a diversionary tactic.)

🚨 It is always used with the article das.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🔬 Grammar of "das Manöver" in Detail

Das Manöver is a noun of neuter gender (Neutrum). Its declension is as follows:

Example Sentences

1. Die Marine führte ein komplexes Manöver durch. (The navy carried out a complex maneuver.)
2. Das Einparken erforderte ein präzises Manöver. (Parking required a precise maneuver.)
3. Die Opposition kritisierte das taktische Manöver der Regierung. (The opposition criticized the government's tactical maneuver.)
4. Viele Soldaten nahmen an dem Manöver teil. (Many soldiers took part in the maneuver/exercise.)
5. Mit einem letzten Manöver gewann er das Rennen. (With a final maneuver, he won the race.)

💬 Everyday Usage of Manöver

The term Manöver is used specifically depending on the context:

• Military/Security: Clearly refers to a military exercise (Seemanöver - naval maneuver, Luftwaffenmanöver - air force maneuver).
• Traffic/Technology: Often denotes difficult sequences of movement (Parkmanöver - parking maneuver, Wendemanöver - turning maneuver, Anlegemanöver - docking maneuver).
• Figurative Sense: In politics, business, or social interactions, it describes a tactical move or a skillful action, sometimes with a negative connotation as deception (politisches Manöver - political maneuver, Ablenkungsmanöver - diversionary tactic, Verhandlungsmanöver - negotiating maneuver).

It differs from Bewegung (movement - more general) or Aktion (action - often more spontaneous). A Manöver is usually planned and requires skill or strategy.

💡 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

For the article (das): Think of things that perform maneuvers often being neuter in German: das Auto (car), das Schiff (ship), das Flugzeug (airplane) all perform das Manöver.

For the meaning: Manöver sounds a bit like "man overboard!" which requires a quick maneuver (a specific action/movement) to save him. It also contains "move".

🔄 Similar and Opposite Words

⚠️ Watch out for similar words!

Manier (manner, way) sounds similar but has a completely different meaning (behaviour).

😄 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Matrose beim Anlegemanöver geklatscht?
Weil es ein gelungenes Andock-Manöver war! 👏🚢

(Why did the sailor clap during the docking maneuver?
Because it was a successful docking 'pun-euver'! (A pun on Andock-Manöver and 'andocken' - to dock, suggesting applause for the successful 'docking show'))

📜 A Little Poem

Ein Schiff auf See, bei Wind und Well',
führt aus Manöver, schnell, sehr schnell.
Ein Auto parkt, mit viel Geschick,
ein Manöver, Stück für Stück.
Im Leben auch, mal groß, mal klein,
muss ein kluges Manöver sein.

(A ship at sea, in wind and wave,
performs a maneuver, fast and brave.
A car is parking, skillfully,
a maneuver, piece by piece, you see.
In life as well, both big and small,
a clever maneuver must enthrall.)

🧩 Who or What Am I?

Ich bin geplant, erfordere Geschick,
ob auf dem Feld oder im Autoverkehrsgeschick.
Mal bin ich Übung, mal ein schlauer Zug,
manchmal auch Täuschung und Betrug.

Was bin ich?

(I am planned, requiring skill,
whether on the field or in traffic's thrill.
Sometimes I'm practice, sometimes a smart ploy,
sometimes deception and decoy.)

What am I?

Solution: Das Manöver (The maneuver)

🌐 Other Interesting Facts

The word Manöver comes from the French word "manœuvre", which originally meant "handiwork" or "handling" (from Latin "manu opera" = work by hand). Later, the meaning evolved to "operation" (e.g., of a ship) and finally to its current military and general meaning.

Das Wort Manöver stammt vom französischen Wort "manœuvre" ab, was ursprünglich "Handarbeit" oder "Handhabung" bedeutete (von lateinisch "manu opera" = Arbeit mit der Hand). Später entwickelte sich die Bedeutung hin zu "Bedienung" (z.B. eines Schiffes) und schließlich zur heutigen militärischen und allgemeinen Bedeutung.