der  Schinken

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈʃɪŋkən/

🍖 What exactly is "der Schinken"?

Der Schinken is the German word for ham. It refers to a meat product, usually made from the hind leg (Keule) of a pig. It's preserved by curing (pökeln - salting) and often additionally by smoking (räuchern) or air-drying (lufttrocknen). There are different types, such as Kochschinken (cooked ham) and Rohschinken (raw ham, either air-dried or smoked).

The noun "Schinken" is masculine, so it always takes the article der.

🚨 Colloquially, "Schinken" can also be used slightly derogatorily for a thick, old book or a bad, long movie ("Was für ein Schinken!" - "What a doorstopper/long flick!"), but the primary meaning relates to the food item.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar in Detail: Der Schinken

The noun "Schinken" is masculine.

Example Sentences

• Nominativ: Der Schinken schmeckt köstlich. (The ham tastes delicious.)
• Akkusativ: Ich kaufe einen Schinken für das Abendessen. (I am buying a ham for dinner.)
• Dativ: Sie belegt das Brot mit dem Schinken. (She puts ham on the bread.)
• Genitiv: Der Geschmack des Schinkens ist intensiv. (The taste of the ham is intense.)
• Plural: Im Supermarkt gibt es viele verschiedene Schinken. (There are many different hams in the supermarket.)

🍽️ Everyday Usage: When to use Schinken?

"Schinken" is primarily used in the context of food and cooking. Here are typical situations:

• For breakfast (Beim Frühstück): Many Germans enjoy ham for breakfast, e.g., on bread rolls or with eggs. (Ich hätte gern ein Brötchen mit Schinken. - I'd like a roll with ham.)
• As a sandwich topping (Als Brotbelag): Ham is a popular topping for sandwiches. (Machst du mir ein Schinkenbrot? - Can you make me a ham sandwich/bread with ham?)
• In cooking (Beim Kochen): Ham is often used as an ingredient in dishes like pasta sauces, quiches, or casseroles. (Für die Carbonara brauchen wir Schinkenwürfel. - We need diced ham for the Carbonara.)
• At the deli counter (An der Fleischtheke): When buying groceries, you might ask for specific types or amounts. (Ich möchte bitte 200 Gramm Kochschinken. - I'd like 200 grams of cooked ham, please.)

Important distinctions:

• Kochschinken: Cooked, juicy ham.
• Rohschinken: Raw, cured ham, either air-dried or smoked (e.g., Parmaschinken - Parma ham, Schwarzwälder Schinken - Black Forest ham).
• Speck: Often translated as bacon, but can also mean fatty ham. It's typically fattier than Schinken and usually from the belly. The terms can overlap (e.g., Schinkenspeck).

The colloquial meaning for a thick book or long movie ("Der Film war ein echter Schinken." - "The movie was really long/a real doorstopper.") is informal and slightly derogatory.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic (Der): Think of a strong man (DER Mann) who likes hearty food. What does he enjoy? DER delicious Schinken!

Meaning Mnemonic (Ham): Imagine someone trying to shink (shrink) a huge piece of ham to fit it in the fridge. It's hard to shink-en the Schinken!

🔄 Similar Words: Synonyms & Potential Confusion

⚠️ Potential Confusion:

• Schienbein: (Shinbone) Sounds vaguely similar but is completely unrelated (it's a bone in the lower leg).

The colloquial meaning ("old movie/thick book") has different synonyms, of course, like Wälzer (tome, doorstopper book) or Streifen (film, more neutral).

😂 A Little Ham Joke

German: Fragt der Metzgerlehrling seinen Meister: "Meister, ist dieser Schinken da wirklich aus Spanien?"
Meister: "Wieso? Spricht er Spanisch?"

English Translation: The butcher's apprentice asks his master: "Master, is this ham really from Spain?"
Master: "Why? Does it speak Spanish?"

📜 Ham in Rhyme

German: Der Schinken, fein und zart, Gesalzen und geräuchert gut, Auf Brot, zu Spargel, einfach pur, Der Metzger schneidet Scheibe ab,

English Translation: The ham, so fine and tender, be it raw, or cooked with splendor.
Salted and smoked so well, it gives us strength, breaks any spell.
On bread, with asparagus, simply pure, a piece of pleasure, nature's lure!
The butcher cuts a slice away, ham never makes us weak, hooray!

🧩 Little Riddle

German: Ich komm vom Schwein, von seiner Keule fein.
Mal rot, mal rosa kann ich sein.
Geräuchert oder an der Luft getrocknet,

Was bin ich?

English Translation: I come from the pig, from its fine leg.
Sometimes red, sometimes pink, I beg.
Smoked or dried in the air,

What am I?

(Solution: der Schinken / ham)

🤓 Good to Know

• Etymology: The word "Schinken" comes from the Old High German word "scinca" or "scinko", which meant "leg, shank". This directly refers to the part of the animal from which ham is traditionally made.
• Regional Specialties: Germany and Europe are famous for various types of ham with protected designation of origin (PDO), e.g., Schwarzwälder Schinken (Black Forest ham, smoked), Parmaschinken (Italian Parma ham, air-dried), Serrano-Schinken (Spanish Serrano ham, air-dried).
• "Alter Schinken" (Old Ham): The colloquial meaning for old movies or books likely arose because they were sometimes perceived as "hard to digest" or "tough", similar to how poorly made or overly aged ham might be.