die
Schere
✂️ What does "die Schere" mean?
Die Schere is the German word for a tool primarily used for cutting materials like paper, fabric, hair, or thin metal. It typically consists of two blades joined by a pivot (Niet) and handles for the fingers. It translates directly to scissors or shears.
In a figurative sense, die Schere can also describe a growing gap or discrepancy, for example:
- Die Schere zwischen Arm und Reich: The gap between the rich and the poor (literally: the scissors between poor and rich).
The word is feminine, so the definite 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.
🧐 Grammar of "die Schere" in Detail
Schere is a feminine noun. Here is its declension:
Singular Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Schere |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Schere |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Schere |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Schere |
Plural Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Scheren |
| Genitive | der | Scheren |
| Dative | den | Scheren |
| Accusative | die | Scheren |
Example Sentences
- Kannst du mir bitte die Schere geben? (Can you please give me the scissors?) - Accusative Singular
- Die Klingen der Schere sind sehr scharf. (The blades of the scissors are very sharp.) - Genitive Singular
- Mit der Schere schneide ich das Papier. (I cut the paper with the scissors.) - Dative Singular
- Im Nähkasten liegen mehrere Scheren. (There are several pairs of scissors in the sewing box.) - Nominative Plural
- Die Spitzen der Scheren müssen geschützt werden. (The tips of the scissors must be protected.) - Genitive Plural
✂️ Everyday Use: When to use "die Schere"?
Die Schere is used in many everyday and specialized contexts:
- In the household: For opening packages, crafting, cutting wrapping paper (Haushaltsschere, Papierschere).
- At the hairdresser's: For cutting hair (Friseurschere).
- For sewing: For cutting fabric (Stoffschere, Schneiderschere).
- In the garden: For trimming plants and small branches (Gartenschere, Heckenschere - shears).
- In medicine: Special scissors for surgical procedures (chirurgische Schere).
- In the office: For cutting paper and tape (Büroschere).
Figurative Meaning:
The phrase "die Schere zwischen Arm und Reich" (the gap between rich and poor) is often used in political or economic discussions to address social inequality.
The idiom "eine Schere im Kopf haben" (to have scissors in one's head) means that someone self-censors or doesn't think or speak freely due to fear of negative consequences.
⚠️ Don't confuse "die Schere" with tools that might look similar but have different functions, like "die Zange" (pliers), which is used for gripping or bending.
💡 How to Remember "die Schere"
Article Mnemonic: Think of scissors often being associated with activities like sewing or hairdressing, traditionally seen as feminine roles in the past. Feminine -> die Schere. Or imagine Diana using die Schere.
Meaning Mnemonic: The English word "shear" sounds very similar to the German "Schere". Both involve cutting. Imagine you shear paper with die Schere.
Word Connections: Synonyms & Antonyms for Schere
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Schneidewerkzeug (cutting tool - general)
- Papierschere, Stoffschere, Nagelschere etc. (paper scissors, fabric scissors, nail scissors - specific)
- Kluft (gap), Diskrepanz (discrepancy), Ungleichheit (inequality) - for the figurative meaning
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning)
There isn't a direct antonym for the tool itself. However, you could think of things that join instead of separate:
- Klebstoff, Leim (glue, adhesive - connects)
- Nadel und Faden (needle and thread - joins together)
- Gleichheit (equality), Übereinstimmung (agreement, correspondence) - for the figurative meaning
Similar but Different Words
😂 A Little Scissor Snip for a Laugh
Warum hat die Schere beim Rennen gewonnen?
Weil sie immer eine Abkürzung genommen hat! ✂️💨
--- Translation ---
Why did the scissors win the race?
Because they always took a shortcut!
📜 Poem about the Scissors
Zwei Klingen blank, im Gelenk vereint,
Die Schere schneidet, was getrennt erscheint.
Papier und Stoff, sie weichen schnell,
Ein nützlich Ding, an jeder Stell'.
Doch öffnet sie sich, zeigt sie auch die Kluft,
Zwischen dem Reichtum und der kargen Luft.
Ein Werkzeug scharf, in Hand und Sinn,
Bringt Trennung oder Neuanfang und Gewinn.
--- Translation ---
Two blades bright, united at the joint,
The scissors cut what seems disjointed.
Paper and fabric, they quickly yield,
A useful thing in every field.
But opening wide, they show the gap, you see,
Between great wealth and air of poverty.
A tool so sharp, in hand and mind,
Brings separation or new starts you find.
❓ Riddle Time
Ich habe zwei Beine, doch kann ich nicht geh'n.
Ich habe einen Rücken, doch lieg' ich nie bequem.
Ich öffne den Mund, doch hab' ich nichts zu sagen,
Und trenne doch Dinge an vielen Tagen.
Was bin ich?
Lösung: Die Schere
--- Translation ---
I have two legs, but I cannot walk.
I have a back, but I never lie comfortably.
I open my mouth, but have nothing to say,
And yet I separate things on many a day.
What am I?
Solution: Scissors (Die Schere)
✨ More Interesting Facts
Word Origin: The word Schere comes from the Old High German word skāri, meaning "cutter" or "divider".
Compound Words: Schere is part of many compound nouns (Komposita) that specify the type or use of the scissors:
- Nagelschere (nail scissors)
- Papierschere (paper scissors)
- Heckenschere (hedge shears)
- Geflügelschere (poultry shears)
- Blechschere (tin snips / sheet metal shears)
Symbolism: In some cultures, scissors also symbolize separation, fate (like the Moirai/Fates cutting the thread of life), or censorship ("Schere im Kopf" - "scissors in the head").
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Schere?
The German word "Schere" (scissors) is always feminine. The correct article is die: die Schere (nominative singular), der Schere (genitive/dative singular), die Scheren (plural).