die
Säge
sawing Definition: What does 'die Säge' mean? 🛠️
Die Säge (noun, feminine) refers to a tool, typically consisting of a toothed blade or chain, used for cutting or separating materials like wood, metal, or plastic through a back-and-forth or continuous motion.
There are many different types of saws, for example:
- Hand saws (e.g., Handsäge, Bügelsäge)
- Electric saws (e.g., Stichsäge, Kreissäge, Kettensäge)
⚠️ Since 'Säge' is a feminine noun, the correct article is always 'die'.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
sawing Grammar in Detail 🤓
The word 'Säge' is a feminine noun. Here is the declension:
Declension (Singular)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Säge |
| Genitive | der | Säge |
| Dative | der | Säge |
| Accusative | die | Säge |
Declension (Plural)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Sägen |
| Genitive | der | Sägen |
| Dative | den | Sägen |
| Accusative | die | Sägen |
Example Sentences
- Der Tischler benutzt eine scharfe Säge, um das Brett zu kürzen.
(The carpenter uses a sharp saw to shorten the board.) - Gib mir bitte die Säge aus dem Werkzeugkasten.
(Please give me the saw from the toolbox.) - Mit der Säge lässt sich das Holz präzise schneiden.
(With the saw, the wood can be cut precisely.) - Im Baumarkt gibt es viele verschiedene Sägen zu kaufen.
(There are many different saws to buy at the hardware store.)
sawing Usage in Context 💬
Die Säge is primarily used in the context of crafts, construction, gardening, and woodworking. One talks about 'working something with the saw' (etwas mit der Säge bearbeiten) or 'sawing something' (etwas sägen).
- Typical verbs: sägen (to saw), zersägen (to saw apart), aussägen (to saw out), absägen (to saw off)
- Typical adjectives: scharf (sharp), stumpf (dull), elektrisch (electric), manuell (manual)
- Context: Werkstatt (workshop), Baustelle (construction site), Wald (forest), Garten (garden)
Figuratively, one can also say "an jemandes Stuhl sägen" (literally 'to saw on someone's chair'), which means to undermine someone's position or authority.
Comparison: While 'die Säge' is the tool itself, the verb 'sägen' refers to the action of cutting with a saw.
sawing Mnemonics and Memory Aids 🤔
Article Mnemonic: Many tools ending in '-e' in German are feminine (die Zange - pliers, die Feile - file, die Schraube - screw) – and so is die Säge. Imagine a handywoman, 'she' (die) is using 'the saw' (die Säge).
Meaning Mnemonic: The word 'Säge' sounds a bit like the sawing sound: "Saaaw-geh, saaaw-geh". Can you hear it? That's the tool for cutting things apart!
sawing Related Terms: Synonyms & Antonyms 🔄
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- Fuchsschwanz: A specific type of handsaw (literally 'fox tail').
- Stichsäge: Jigsaw (an electric saw for curved cuts).
- Kreissäge: Circular saw (a saw with a rotating circular blade).
- Kettensäge: Chainsaw (often used for trees).
- (Colloquial) Schneidewerkzeug (cutting tool)
Similar but different words
- Sense (die): Scythe; tool for mowing grass, has a long blade, no teeth.
- Sichel (die): Sickle; smaller tool for cutting grain or grass, curved blade.
sawing A Little Humor 😄
Warum hat die Säge beim Marathon gewonnen?
Weil sie immer einen Zahn zugelegt hat!
Translation:
Why did the saw win the marathon?
Because it always 'stepped it up a gear'! (Literally: 'added a tooth' - 'einen Zahn zulegen' is an idiom for 'to speed up' or 'put in more effort')
sawing Creativity Corner ✍️
Die Säge singt ihr Lied
Durch Holz und Ast, so rau und fest,
zieht sie die Spur, hält keinen Rest.
Die Säge tanzt im Staub so fein,
mal grob, mal zart, mal groß, mal klein.
Ein Zahn greift ein, es knirscht und kracht,
hat Brett und Balken klein gemacht.
Translation: The Saw Sings its Song
Through wood and branch, so rough and fast,
It draws its line, holds nothing passed.
The saw it dances in dust so fine,
Sometimes coarse, sometimes gentle, large or small design.
A tooth digs in, it grinds and cracks,
Has made the board and beam into small tracks.
sawing Riddle Time 🤔
Ich habe Zähne, doch kann nicht beißen.
Ich teile Holz, doch kann nicht reißen.
Man führt mich hin und her im Takt,
hab' manches Brett schon klein gehackt.
Was bin ich? Antwort: Die Säge
Translation:
I have teeth, but cannot bite.
I split wood, but cannot tear it right.
I'm guided back and forth in time,
Have chopped many boards, a cutting paradigm.
What am I?
Answer: The saw
sawing More Info 🧐
Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung)
The word 'Säge' is often part of compound nouns to specify the type or purpose:
- Handsäge: A saw operated manually.
- Motorsäge/Kettensäge: A motorized saw/chainsaw.
- Laubsäge: A coping saw or fretsaw, used for fine work on thin wood.
- Metallsäge: A hacksaw, specifically for cutting metal.
- Sägeblatt: The saw blade (the toothed part).
- Sägemehl: Sawdust (fine wood particles produced during sawing).
Trivia
Did you know that the oldest known saws date back to the Neolithic period and were made of flint? (Wusstest du, dass die ältesten bekannten Sägen aus der Jungsteinzeit stammen und aus Feuerstein gefertigt wurden?)
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Säge?
The German word 'Säge' is a feminine noun and always uses the article 'die'. It refers to a tool used for cutting materials. The plural form is 'die Sägen'.