feel / intuition
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feel / intuition
An intuitive ability to assess or recognize something correctly; a fine sensitivity or instinct for a particular thing.
Sie hat ein gutes Gespür für die Bedürfnisse ihrer Kunden.
She has a good feel for her customers' needs.
'Das Gespür' (feel/intuition) is closely related to the verb 'spüren' (to feel, to sense). It describes the ability to sense something subtly and intuitively.
Ein guter Detektiv muss die kleinsten Veränderungen spüren.
A good detective has to sense the smallest changes.
'Gespür' is almost always used with the preposition 'für' and an accusative object. The fixed phrase is: 'ein Gespür für etwas haben' (to have a feel for something).
Gute Designer haben ein Gespür für Farben und Formen.
Good designers have a feel for colors and shapes.
People often have 'ein gutes Gespür' (a good feel), 'ein feines Gespür' (a fine sensitivity), or 'ein sicheres Gespür' (a sure instinct). It often refers to areas such as 'Menschen' (people), 'Trends' (trends), 'Geschäfte' (business), or 'Gefahr' (danger).
Sie hat ein feines Gespür für die Stimmungen im Raum.
She has a fine feel for the moods in the room.
feeling / sense
'das Gefühl' and 'das Gespür' can both mean that someone assesses something correctly without thinking about it for long. 'das Gefühl' is broader: it can be a hunch or also an emotional feeling. 'das Gespür' is more precise when someone has a fine understanding or a good instinct for something, for example for people, language, or situations. Learners may confuse the words because you can say both 'ein Gefühl für etwas' and 'ein Gespür für etwas' (a feel for something). 'Gespür' puts stronger emphasis on a special ability.
Mia hat ein gutes Gespür dafür, wann ihre Familie Unterstützung braucht.
Mia has a good feel for when her family needs support.
Wir haben das Gefühl, dass der Termin morgen zu früh ist.
We have the feeling that tomorrow's appointment is too early.