klemmen
to jam
To no longer be movable, or to be movable only with difficulty; to be stuck or blocked.
EXAMPLE
Die Schublade klemmt, ich bekomme sie nicht auf.
The drawer is jammed; I can't get it open.
klemmen
to jam / to pinch
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Meanings
sich klemmen
to pinch
To painfully trap or pinch a body part, usually a finger, somewhere.
EXAMPLE
Achtung, dass du dir nicht die Finger in der Autotür klemmst!
Careful you don't pinch your fingers in the car door!
klemmen
to wedge / clip
To attach something firmly in a place by wedging it in or pinning it there.
EXAMPLE
Er klemmte den Zettel unter den Scheibenwischer.
He wedged the note under the windshield wiper.
klemmen
to be tight
Colloquial for a difficult situation, especially when money or resources are lacking.
EXAMPLE
Diesen Monat klemmt es finanziell ein bisschen.
Money is a bit tight this month.
sich hinter etwas klemmen
to get stuck into
Colloquial for applying oneself intensively and with a lot of commitment to a task or goal.
EXAMPLE
Wenn du die Prüfung schaffen willst, musst du dich jetzt richtig dahinterklemmen.
If you want to pass the exam, you really have to get stuck into it now.
klemmen
to steal
Colloquial for stealing; to secretly take something for oneself.
EXAMPLE
Angeblich hat er im Supermarkt eine Tafel Schokolade geklemmt.
Apparently he stole a bar of chocolate from the supermarket.
Usage tips
Sentence structure: Etwas klemmt
In this meaning, the thing that is not working is the subject of the sentence. The verb is used intransitively here, meaning without an accusative object.
EXAMPLE
Der Reißverschluss meiner Jacke klemmt schon wieder.
The zipper on my jacket is jammed again.
Reflexive with dative
When you pinch or trap a body part, a dative construction is used: the person is in the dative (mir, dir), and the body part is in the accusative (den Finger). This shows whom the mishap happens to.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mir beim Schließen des Fensters den Finger geklemmt.
I pinched my finger while closing the window.
Use with location
In this meaning, 'klemmen' (to wedge/clip) always needs an accusative object (what?) and an indication of place or direction (where to?). Typical prepositions are 'unter' (under), 'hinter' (behind), 'zwischen' (between), or 'an' (on/at).
EXAMPLE
Sie klemmte sich eine Blume ins Haar.
She tucked a flower into her hair.
Colloquial: Es klemmt
This meaning is usually used impersonally with 'es' as the subject and is colloquial. You can add the area in which there are problems with 'bei' or with an adverbial phrase.
EXAMPLE
Bei uns klemmt es gerade mit dem Geld.
Money is tight for us at the moment.
Fixed expression
The expression 'sich hinter etwas klemmen' (to get stuck into something) is colloquial and a fixed unit. The 'etwas' is in the accusative and refers to the task one is making an effort on.
EXAMPLE
Er muss sich hinter seine Hausaufgaben klemmen, wenn er fertig werden will.
He has to get stuck into his homework if he wants to finish.
Colloquial usage
In the meaning 'stehlen' (to steal), 'klemmen' (to steal) is purely colloquial. You normally would not use it in a formal context or in written language.
EXAMPLE
Er hat sich im Laden einen Kaugummi geklemmt.
He swiped a piece of gum from the store.
Compare with
klemmen vs klauen
to steal / claw
Klauen and klemmen can be used colloquially to mean secretly stealing something. Klauen is generally understood. Klemmen has this meaning only in certain regions and may therefore be misunderstood elsewhere.
klemmen
Bei uns sagt man, jemand habe mir auf dem Fest den Regenschirm geklemmt.
Where I come from, people say that someone stole my umbrella at the festival.
klauen
Jemand hat mir auf dem Fest den Regenschirm geklaut.
Someone stole my umbrella at the festival.
In real life
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