der  Kamm

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/kam/

💇‍♀️ What exactly is a 'Kamm'?

The German word der Kamm primarily has two meanings:

• Hair comb: A tool with teeth (Zinken) used to arrange, detangle, or style hair.
• Mountain ridge/crest: The highest, often narrow, edge or spine of a mountain or mountain range.

Less commonly, it can refer to other comb-like structures, such as the Hahnenkamm (a cock's comb, the fleshy growth on a rooster's head) or the Weberkamm (part of a loom).

🚨 Important: Although the two main meanings are very different, they both use the same article der.

🧐 Grammar of 'der Kamm' in Detail

Der Kamm is a masculine noun. Here are the declension tables:

📝 Example Sentences

1. Ich brauche einen Kamm, meine Haare sind zerzaust.
   (I need a comb, my hair is messy.)
2. Dieser Kamm hat sehr feine Zinken.
   (This comb has very fine teeth.)
3. Die Wanderung führte uns über einen schmalen Kamm.
   (The hike took us over a narrow ridge.)
4. Vom Kamm aus hatten wir eine atemberaubende Aussicht.
   (From the ridge, we had a breathtaking view.)
5. Sie verkaufte handgeschnitzte Kämme auf dem Markt.
   (She sold hand-carved combs at the market.)
6. Die Kämme der Alpen sind oft schneebedeckt.
   (The ridges of the Alps are often covered in snow.)

💡 How 'der Kamm' is Used

The context makes it clear which meaning of Kamm is intended:

• When talking about hair, hairstyles, or personal grooming, it refers to the Haarkamm (hair comb). Example: "Er zog den Kamm durch sein nasses Haar." (He ran the comb through his wet hair.)
• When talking about mountains, hiking, geography, or landscapes, it refers to the Bergkamm (mountain ridge). Example: "Sie erreichten erschöpft den Kamm des Gebirges." (They reached the ridge of the mountain range exhausted.)

The verb associated with the hair comb is sich kämmen: "Ich muss mich noch kämmen." (I still need to comb my hair.)

Sometimes "Kamm" is used metaphorically, e.g., "jemandem schwillt der Kamm" (lit. someone's comb is swelling), meaning someone is getting angry (derived from the rooster's comb, which becomes more engorged when agitated).

🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Kamm'

For the article (der): Think of DER barber or DER mountaineer – both typically male roles associated with using a comb (Kamm) or climbing a ridge (Kamm).

For the meanings: Imagine you not only comb (kämmst) your hair but also comb the mountain – the teeth of the comb draw lines through hair, just like the ridge (Kamm) draws a line on the mountain.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: A Bürste (brush) is also for hair care, but typically wider and with more/different bristles than a Kamm (comb).

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Friseurlehrling seinen Meister: "Meister, warum hat dieser Kunde kaum noch Haare auf dem Kopf, kauft aber trotzdem einen Kamm?"
Meint der Meister: "Na, zum Scheitelziehen!"

(Translation: The apprentice hairdresser asks his master: "Master, why does this customer have hardly any hair left but still buys a comb?"
The master replies: "Well, for parting his hair!")

✍️ Little Poem about the Kamm

Der Kamm

Ob Zinken fein, ob Zinken grob,
Der Kamm, er leistet seinen Job.
Im Haar, da schafft er Glanz und Glätte,
Am Berg, da trotzt er Wind und Kälte.

Ein Werkzeug schlicht, ein Grat so kühn,
Zwei Welten lässt er uns erblüh'n.
Der Kamm, er ordnet und er ragt,
Ein Wort, das zweierlei besagt.

(Translation:)

The Comb/Ridge

Whether teeth are fine, or teeth are coarse,
The Kamm, it does its job, of course.
In hair, it creates shine and sleekness,
On mountains, it defies wind's bleakness.

A simple tool, a ridge so bold,
Two worlds it lets us see unfold.
The Kamm, it orders and it towers,
One word describing two such powers.

❓ Can you solve it?

Ich habe Zähne, doch kann nicht beißen.
Ich glätte Wellen auf Kopfreisen.
Bin ich am Berg, bin ich ganz oben,
Wo Wanderer die Aussicht loben.

Was bin ich? (Lösung/Solution: Der Kamm)

(Translation:)

I have teeth, but cannot bite.
I smooth out waves on head's-journey's flight.
If I'm on the mountain, I'm at the top,
Where hikers praise the view non-stop.

What am I?
(Answer: The comb / The ridge / Der Kamm)

📌 More about 'der Kamm'

• Word Origin: The word "Kamm" comes from the Old High German "kamb" and has Indo-European roots often associated with "tooth" or "jagged edge".
• Compound Words: There are many German words formed with "Kamm", e.g., Haarkamm (hair comb), Staubkamm (dust comb), Läusekamm (nit comb), Kammgarn (worsted yarn), Hahnenkamm (cockscomb), Kammerton (concert pitch), Kammmuschel (scallop), Kammmacher (comb maker).
• Idiom: "Alles über einen Kamm scheren" (lit. "to shear everything over one comb") means to treat everyone or everything the same way, without making distinctions (originally from sheep shearing).