die Flosse
fin
A flat, usually movable body part of fish and other aquatic animals, used to move or steer.
EXAMPLE
Der Fisch bewegte seine Flosse und schwamm davon.
The fish moved its fin and swam away.
die Flosse
fin / hand
die Flosse, die Flossen
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Meanings
die Flosse
hand
An informal and often humorous term for a person's hand.
EXAMPLE
Gib mir die Flosse, dann helfe ich dir beim Aufstehen.
Give me your hand, and I'll help you get up.
die Flosse
swim fin
A flat swimming aid made of rubber or plastic, worn on the feet when swimming, diving, or snorkeling; usually used in the plural.
EXAMPLE
Zum Schnorcheln brauchst du eine Taucherbrille und Flossen.
For snorkeling, you need a diving mask and fins.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Flosse, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Flossen |
| genitive | der Flosse |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Flosse | die Flossen |
| accusative | die Flosse | die Flossen |
| dative | der Flosse | den Flossen |
| genitive | der Flosse | der Flossen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Typical collocations
When referring to an aquatic animal, 'Flosse' (fin) is often used with verbs such as 'bewegen' (to move), 'schlagen' (to beat), or 'steuern' (to steer). The preposition 'mit' (with) is also common when describing a fin as a means of movement.
EXAMPLE
Der Fisch bewegt sich mit seinen Flossen durch das Wasser.
The fish moves through the water with its fins.
Colloquial usage
Using 'Flosse' (hand) to refer to a hand is informal and often humorous. It is especially suitable for casual situations and friendly requests.
EXAMPLE
Komm, gib mir die Flosse, und wir besprechen das in Ruhe.
Come on, give me your hand, and we'll talk it over calmly.
Context clue
For the sense 'Hand' (hand), human actions and verbs such as 'geben' (to give), 'reichen' (to offer), or 'halten' (to hold) indicate the intended meaning. If the context involves an animal in the water, it usually refers to its body part; when diving or snorkeling, it often refers to swimming fins.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Sturz reichte sie mir die Flosse und stand langsam auf.
After the fall, she held out her hand to me and slowly got up.
In real life
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