die  List

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/lɪst/

💡 What exactly does "die List" mean?

The noun die List describes the ability or action of achieving a goal through cleverness, cunning, or even deception. It refers to a skillful approach, often planned and executed secretly. Eine List (a ploy, stratagem) can be viewed both positively (as an expression of intelligence and ingenuity, e.g., eine Kriegslist - a stratagem of war) and negatively (as a deceitful trick or intrigue).

The word is feminine, so it's always die List.

🚨 Attention: Do not confuse it with 'die Liste' (a list)!

🧐 Grammar of "List": A closer look

Die List is a feminine noun. It is mostly used in the singular.

Example Sentences

• Mit viel List gelang es ihm, den Wachen zu entkommen.
  (With great cunning, he managed to escape the guards.)
• Odysseus war bekannt für seine List im Trojanischen Krieg.
  (Odysseus was known for his cunning in the Trojan War.)
• Sie durchschaute seine List sofort.
  (She saw through his ruse immediately.)
• Manchmal muss man zu einer kleinen List greifen, um sein Ziel zu erreichen.
  (Sometimes you have to resort to a little trick to achieve your goal.)
• Die Geschichte ist voller Beispiele für politische Listen.
  (History is full of examples of political stratagems.)

🎯 How is "die List" used?

Die List is often used to describe a clever, sometimes deceitful method someone uses to gain an advantage or solve a problem. The context determines the connotation:

• Neutral to Positive: In contexts like strategy, survival, or puzzle-solving (e.g., Kriegslist, eine kluge List - a clever stratagem). Here, it emphasizes ingenuity.
• Negative: More often, List is used to describe deception, fraud, or trickery (e.g., eine gemeine List - a mean trick, mit List und Tücke vorgehen - to proceed with cunning and malice).

Compared to der Trick, which often seems more spontaneous or smaller, die List usually implies more careful planning and greater sophistication. Die Schlauheit (cleverness) is a quality, whereas die List is a concrete application of that cleverness (often with an element of deceit).

You often find the word in fairy tales, legends, historical narratives, and literature, where characters achieve their goals through cunning (e.g., Reynard the Fox - Reineke Fuchs).

🧠 Mnemonics for "List"

Here are some memory aids for the article and meaning:

For the article 'die': Think of a feminine character known for her cunning, like a spy or a queen - she uses die List.

For the meaning: It sounds a bit like 'least'. Using die List is how you achieve the most with the least amount of force, using your brain instead. Or, think of making a secret list of tricky plans – that's die List.

↔️ Opposites and Similarities: Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Beware of Confusion: As mentioned, die List (cunning) sounds similar to die Liste (list), but has a completely different meaning.

😂 A Little Joke

Lehrer: "Fritzchen, was ist der Unterschied zwischen Vorsicht und List?"
Fritzchen: "Vorsicht ist, wenn man einen Scheck nicht unterschreibt. List ist, wenn man ihn trotzdem bezahlt bekommt!" 😄

Translation:
Teacher: "Fritzchen, what's the difference between caution and cunning (List)?"
Fritzchen: "Caution is when you don't sign a check. Cunning is when you get it paid anyway!" 😄

✍️ Poem about "List"

Die List, ein Faden, fein gesponnen,
hat manchen Kampf schon still gewonnen.
Mal kluger Plan, mal Trug und Schein,
schleicht leis sie sich ins Leben ein.
Mit Schläue wird das Ziel erreicht,
wo rohe Kraft oft unterliegt und weicht.
Doch Vorsicht, wer mit Listen spielt,
dass er nicht selbst ins Netz sich fühlt.

Translation:
Cunning (die List), a thread, finely spun,
has silently won many a battle.
Sometimes a clever plan, sometimes deceit and illusion,
it quietly creeps into life.
With cleverness, the goal is reached,
where brute force often succumbs and yields.
But beware, whoever plays with cunning schemes,
lest they feel caught in the net themselves.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin kein Schwert, doch schneide scharf durch Plan und Tat,
Ich bin kein Dieb, doch schleiche mich auf leisem Pfad.
Ich wohne oft im Kopf des Fuchses, klug und fein,
Man braucht mich sehr im Märchen, um Sieger zu sein.
Was bin ich?

Translation:
I am no sword, yet cut sharply through plan and deed,
I am no thief, yet I sneak on a quiet path.
I often live in the head of the fox, clever and fine,
You need me much in fairy tales to be the winner.
What am I?

Lösung/Solution: die List (cunning)

🌐 Further Insights

Word History (Etymology): The word List comes from the Old High German word 'list', which originally meant 'knowledge', 'wisdom', 'art', or 'skill'. The modern, often slightly negative meaning developed over time.

Common Phrase: A very common idiom is "mit List und Tücke", which means using all means, fair or foul, to achieve something – often with a negative connotation of deceit and malice.