die  Angel

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaŋəl/

🎣 What exactly is a 'die Angel'?

The German word die Angel has two main meanings:

1. The fishing rod: Die Angelrute. A device used for catching fish, typically consisting of a rod, line, and hook. This is the most common meaning in everyday contexts related to leisure and sports.

   Example: Mit seiner neuen Angel fing er einen großen Hecht. (With his new fishing rod, he caught a large pike.)

2. The hinge: Das Scharnier (often specifically die Türangel for doors, die Fensterangel for windows). A mechanical bearing that connects two solid objects (like a door and its frame), allowing a limited angle of rotation between them.

   Example: Die Tür quietscht, die Angeln müssen geölt werden. (The door is squeaking, the hinges need to be oiled.)

🚨 Attention: Although both meanings use "die Angel", they refer to contextually very different things. The plural form for both meanings is "die Angeln".

🧐 Grammar of 'die Angel' in Detail

"Angel" is a feminine noun. Therefore, the article is always die.

Example Sentences

• Nominative: Die Angel liegt am Ufer. (The fishing rod is lying on the bank.)
• Genitive: Die Spitze der Angel ist abgebrochen. (The tip of the fishing rod is broken.)
• Dative: Er befestigte den Köder an der Angel. (He attached the bait to the fishing rod.)
• Accusative: Sie kaufte sich eine neue Angel. (She bought herself a new fishing rod.)
• Nominative Plural: Die Angeln der alten Tür sind verrostet. (The hinges of the old door are rusty.)
• Dative Plural: Mit neuen Angeln schließt das Tor wieder gut. (With new hinges, the gate closes well again.)

💬 How to use 'die Angel'?

The usage of "die Angel" strongly depends on the context:

• In the context of "Angeln" (fishing): Here, "die Angel" always refers to the fishing rod. People talk about Angeln gehen (going fishing), the Angler (angler/fisherman), the Angelhaken (fishhook), and the Angelschnur (fishing line). It's a term used in sports and leisure contexts.
• In the context of "Technik/Bauwesen" (technology/construction): Here, "die Angel" means the hinge, usually as part of doors (Türangel), windows (Fensterangel), or gates (Torangel). There's an idiom eine Tür aus den Angeln heben (literally to lift a door off its hinges, meaning to unhinge it or figuratively, to disrupt something significantly) or that something hängt in den Angeln (is hanging in its hinges, meaning it's properly attached/functioning). This usage is more technical or related to craftsmanship.

⚠️ Confusion is rare because the context usually makes the meaning clear. Nobody would try to catch fish with a door hinge!

🧠 Mnemonics for 'die Angel'

Remembering the article: Think of die Rute (the rod - feminine) or die Tür (the door - feminine). Both main meanings (Angelrute, Türangel) connect well to other feminine nouns. Imagine: Die Frau (the woman - feminine) uses die Angel (the fishing rod) to catch fish for die Tür (the door) that squeaks because of its Angeln (hinges).

Remembering the meanings: An Angel is something something hangs on (like an angle or hook). Either the fish hängt (hangs) on the hook of the Angel(rute) or the door hängt (hangs) in the Angeln (hinges).

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

Potential Confusion ⚠️

• Der Engel: Sounds similar but means "angel" (celestial being) and is masculine (der Engel).
• Angeln (Verb): The verb angeln means "to fish".

😄 A Little Joke

Richter zum Angeklagten: "Womit haben Sie den Geldschrank geöffnet?"
Angeklagter: "Mit einer Angel, Herr Richter!"
Richter: "Wieso denn mit einer Angel?"
Angeklagter: "Naja, ich wollte die Tür ja nur aus den Angeln heben!"

Translation:
Judge to the defendant: "What did you use to open the safe?"
Defendant: "With a fishing rod, Your Honor!"
Judge: "Why with a fishing rod?"
Defendant: "Well, I just wanted to lift the door off its hinges!" (A pun on the idiom meaning to unhinge/disrupt)

✍️ Poem about 'die Angel'

Die Angelrute (The Fishing Rod)
Am Ufer still, die Schnur gespannt, (On the shore still, the line taut,)
liegt sie bereit in meiner Hand. (it lies ready in my hand.)
Ein Zupfen leicht, ein Fischlein klein, (A gentle tug, a little fish,)
hängt an der Angel – wunderfein. (hangs on the line – wonderful.)

Die Türangel (The Door Hinge)
Sie hält die Tür im Rahmenschwung, (It holds the door in the frame's swing,)
mal quietschend alt, mal wieder jung. (sometimes squeaking old, sometimes young again.)
Sie dreht und wendet, ohne Hast, (It turns and pivots, without haste,)
die treue Angel, niemals Last. (the faithful hinge, never a burden.)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich habe einen Haken, doch ich fange nicht nur Fische.
(I have a hook, but I don't just catch fish.)
Ich lasse Türen schwingen, ganz ohne Tische.
(I let doors swing, without any tables.)
Mal bin ich lang und dünn, mal kurz und stark,
(Sometimes I'm long and thin, sometimes short and strong,)
ich halte fest, im Park oder im Haus, welch ein Quark?
(I hold tight, in the park or in the house, what nonsense is this?)

Solution: die Angel (refers to both meanings)

💡 Other Information

Compound Words

"Angel" is part of many compound words (Wortzusammensetzungen):

• Angelrute, Angelhaken, Angelschnur, Angeltasche, Angelschein: All related to fishing (fishing rod, fishhook, fishing line, fishing bag, fishing license).
• Türangel, Fensterangel, Torangel: Referring to hinges (door hinge, window hinge, gate hinge).
• Angelpunkt: A pivotal point, a crux (often metaphorical). Example: Der Angelpunkt der Diskussion. (The crux of the discussion.)

Idioms (Redewendungen)

• Etwas aus den Angeln heben: To lift something off its hinges; figuratively, to disrupt something completely, to throw something into disarray.
• Sich etwas angeln: To fish for something; figuratively, to acquire something, often cleverly or opportunistically.

Etymology

The word "Angel" comes from the Old High German word "angul", which could mean both fishhook and a sharp angle or corner. The connection to hinges likely arose from the idea of a pivot point or a hook-like fastening.