der Apfel
apple
The round, edible fruit of the apple tree with a skin that can be green, yellow, or red depending on the variety.
EXAMPLE
Ein Apfel am Tag hält den Doktor fern.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
der Apfel
apple
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm
the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
An idiom that means children often have similar traits, behaviors, or talents to their parents.
EXAMPLE
Sein Sohn ist auch Musiker geworden – der Apfel fällt eben nicht weit vom Stamm.
His son became a musician too — the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
der Apfel
orb
In a historical context, the imperial orb, part of the coronation regalia, symbolizing dominion over the world.
EXAMPLE
Der Kaiser hielt bei der Krönung Zepter und Apfel in den Händen.
At the coronation, the emperor held the scepter and orb in his hands.
Usage tips
Productive word formation
'Apfel' (apple) is a very productive base word and forms many useful compound nouns. If you recognize 'Apfel', you can often figure out the meaning of the whole word.
EXAMPLE
Möchtest du ein Glas Apfelsaft?
Would you like a glass of apple juice?
Fixed expression
The idiom 'in den sauren Apfel beißen' (to bite into the sour apple) means that you have to do an unpleasant but necessary task. It is often used when there is no other choice.
EXAMPLE
Ich muss jetzt in den sauren Apfel beißen und meine Steuererklärung machen.
I have to bite the bullet now and do my tax return.
Fixed proverb
The sentence 'Der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm' (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree) is a fixed proverb. It is used to express that children are very similar to their parents in behavior or appearance.
EXAMPLE
Ihre Tochter ist genauso musikalisch wie sie. Der Apfel fällt eben nicht weit vom Stamm.
Her daughter is just as musical as she is. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Context clue
You can recognize the historical meaning 'Reichsapfel' (imperial orb) from the context. The word appears almost only in texts about kings, emperors, or history, often together with 'Krone' (crown) and 'Zepter' (scepter).
EXAMPLE
Im Museum waren die alten Insignien mit Krone, Zepter und Apfel ausgestellt.
In the museum, the old regalia with crown, scepter, and orb were on display.
In real life
Loading video examples...