twist / point
der Clou, die Clous
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twist / point
The special, often surprising or witty highlight of something, a story, or a plan. The 'Clou' (twist/point) is the decisive detail that makes everything interesting or understandable.
Der Clou an der ganzen Geschichte ist, dass der Detektiv am Ende selbst der Täter war.
The twist in the whole story is that the detective himself was the culprit in the end.
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Clous |
| genitive | des Clous |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Clou | die Clous |
| accusative | den Clou | die Clous |
| dative | dem Clou | den Clous |
| genitive | des Clous | der Clous |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Clou' comes from French and is pronounced similarly (roughly like 'Klu'). This origin explains the spelling, which is unusual for German.
Er hat eine Idee, aber er will den Clou noch nicht verraten.
He has an idea, but he doesn't want to reveal the twist yet.
A very typical construction is 'Der Clou an der Sache ist, dass ...' (The point/twist of the matter is that ...). Here, 'an' is always used with the dative.
Der Clou an seinem Plan war, dass niemand damit rechnete.
The point of his plan was that nobody expected it.
The word 'Clou' (twist/point) is often used in colloquial speech and informal texts. It often sounds a bit more clever or modern than 'Höhepunkt' (highlight) or 'Pointe' (punchline/point).
Und jetzt kommt der Clou: Das Auto kann sogar fliegen!
And now comes the twist: the car can even fly!
trick
Both words can refer to a cleverly planned approach. Trick refers more to the method used to achieve a goal, while Clou highlights the special detail or surprising climax. If you are asking about the approach, use “Trick”; if you mean the crucial insight, “Clou” is appropriate.
Der Clou des Plans ist, die Gäste durch den Seiteneingang hereinzulassen.
The key point of the plan is to let the guests in through the side entrance.
Der Trick des Plans ist, die Gäste durch den Seiteneingang hereinzulassen.
The trick to the plan is to let the guests in through the side entrance.
