der Hang
slope
An inclined, downward-sloping surface on a mountain or hill.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder rodelten den steilen Hang hinunter.
The children sledded down the steep slope.
der Hang
slope / tendency
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Meanings
der Hang zu
tendency toward
An inclination or inner urge toward a particular behavior or trait, often one viewed negatively.
EXAMPLE
Er hat einen Hang zur Übertreibung, wenn er Geschichten erzählt.
He has a tendency toward exaggeration when he tells stories.
Usage tips
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If it is about mountains, hills, or skiing, it refers to the inclined surface. If the word appears with 'zu' and describes a person, it refers to a character tendency.
EXAMPLE
Am steilen Hang war das Wandern sehr anstrengend.
Hiking on the steep slope was very exhausting.
Typical prepositions
For the geographic meaning, the prepositions are important. A position is described with 'am Hang' (on the slope), and movement with 'den Hang hinauf' (up the slope) or 'den Hang hinunter' (down the slope).
EXAMPLE
Unser Haus steht direkt am Hang mit Blick auf das Tal.
Our house stands right on the slope with a view of the valley.
Fixed expression
The figurative meaning is almost always used in the fixed expression 'einen Hang zu etwas haben' (to have a tendency toward something). The preposition 'zu' is always followed by the dative.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat einen Hang zu dramatischen Auftritten.
She has a tendency toward dramatic appearances.
Typical tendencies
The tendency is often meant in a slightly negative or ironic way. Typical combinations are 'ein Hang zur Unordnung' (a tendency toward messiness), 'ein Hang zum Perfektionismus' (a tendency toward perfectionism), or 'ein Hang zur Melancholie' (a tendency toward melancholy).
EXAMPLE
Sein Hang zum Perfektionismus macht die Zusammenarbeit manchmal schwierig.
His tendency toward perfectionism sometimes makes working together difficult.
Compare with
Hang vs Tendenz
tendency / trend
Tendenz and Hang can both describe a personal inclination toward a certain behavior. Tendenz is more neutral and often describes a recurring pattern. Hang usually suggests a stronger inclination and often refers to behavior viewed negatively.
Hang
Jonas hat einen ausgeprägten Hang dazu, Entscheidungen bis zum letzten Moment aufzuschieben.
Jonas has a pronounced tendency to put off decisions until the last moment.
Tendenz
Jonas hat die Tendenz, Entscheidungen lange aufzuschieben.
Jonas tends to put off decisions for a long time.
In real life
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