der Knack
snap
A short, sharp sound that occurs when something breaks, snaps, or suddenly moves.
EXAMPLE
Als er den Ast bog, war ein lauter Knack zu hören.
When he bent the branch, there was a loud snap.
der Knack
snap
der Knack, die Knacke
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Knack, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Knacke |
| genitive | des Knacks |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Knack | die Knacke |
| accusative | den Knack | die Knacke |
| dative | dem Knack | den Knacken |
| genitive | des Knacks des Knackes | der Knacke |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Onomatopoeia
'Knack' is onomatopoeic: the word imitates the short, sharp sound made when something breaks or snaps. The related verb is 'knacken' (to crack / snap); 'der Knacks' (a crack / snap) is also used with the same meaning.
EXAMPLE
Beim Öffnen der alten Tür hörte man einen kurzen Knack.
When they opened the old door, they heard a short snap.
Mit einem leisen Knack sprang der Deckel auf.
The lid sprang open with a quiet snap.
Typical collocations
For the meaning of a sound, verbs such as 'hören' (to hear) and 'machen' (to make) are often used with 'Knack'. 'Knack' often refers to a short sound caused by a sudden movement or a break.
EXAMPLE
Beim Einschenken machte das Glas einen Knack und bekam einen Sprung.
While the drink was being poured, the glass made a snap and developed a crack.
In real life
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