01
der Bug
bow
The very front part of a ship, boat, or aircraft.
example
Die Wellen brachen sich am Bug des großen Containerschiffes.
The waves broke against the bow of the large container ship.
der Bug
bow / crease
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
'Der Bug' sounds like the English word 'bug', but it has a completely different meaning. A 'bug' (insect or software error) is 'der Käfer' or 'der Softwarefehler' in German.
EXAMPLE
Der Kapitän stand am Bug und blickte auf das Meer.
The captain stood at the bow and looked out at the sea.
Context clue
You can easily recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about ships, boats, or aircraft, it means the front part. If it is about paper, fabric, or photos, it means an unwanted crease.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder saßen ganz vorne am Bug des Ausflugsbootes.
The children sat right at the front, at the bow of the excursion boat.
Typical collocations
In a maritime context, typical phrases are 'am Bug stehen' (to stand at the bow), 'vor dem Bug' (in front of the bow / in front of the ship), or simply 'der Bug des Schiffes' (the bow of the ship).
EXAMPLE
Ein Delfin schwamm direkt vor dem Bug.
A dolphin swam directly in front of the bow.
Compare with
Bug vs Spitze
tip / top / lace
'die Spitze' and 'der Bug' can both have to do with the front end of an object. 'die Spitze' is generally a pointed, narrow end and can occur on many things. 'der Bug' is specifically the very front part of a ship, boat, or airplane. It may look pointed, but it is not simply just a tip. The words are easy to confuse with ships: the bow is the whole front part, while the tip is only the narrow end.
Bug
Am Bug des Schiffes standen die Reisenden und sahen aufs Meer.
The travelers stood at the bow of the ship and looked out at the sea.
Spitze
Die Spitze des kleinen Papierbootes zeigt nach vorne.
The tip of the small paper boat points forward.
In real life
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