scam / stitch
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scam / trick
Colloquial for a trick, ruse, or method, often dishonest, used to achieve a particular goal.
Die Polizei warnt vor einer neuen Masche von Betrügern am Telefon.
The police are warning about a new scam by telephone fraudsters.
stitch
A single loop in a knitted, crocheted, or knotted fabric such as a sweater or a net.
Hilfe, ich habe beim Stricken eine Masche fallen lassen!
Help, I dropped a stitch while knitting!
typical routine
Colloquial for a typical personal style or pattern of behavior that someone often shows.
Immer zu spät zu kommen und sich dann charmant zu entschuldigen, ist seine typische Masche.
Always arriving late and then apologizing charmingly is his typical routine.
You can tell from context whether a trick (m01) or a loop in fabric (m02) is meant. With the meaning 'trick', the context is often about fraud, police, or deception. With 'loop', it is about knitting, clothing, or nets.
Fallen Sie nicht auf diese billige Masche herein!
Don't fall for this cheap scam!
In connection with a trick, 'Masche' (scam/trick) is often used in fixed expressions. Typical ones are 'auf eine Masche hereinfallen' (to fall for a scam), 'eine Masche durchschauen' (to see through a scam), or simply 'die alte Masche' (the old trick).
Er hat ihre Masche sofort durchschaut und nicht bezahlt.
He saw through her scam immediately and didn't pay.
In the meaning 'trick' or 'ruse', 'Masche' is a colloquial word. It often has a negative or dismissive connotation.
Das ist doch nur eine Masche, um an dein Geld zu kommen.
That's just a scam to get your money.
When it comes to knitting or crocheting, typical phrases are 'eine Masche fallen lassen' (to drop a stitch), 'eine Masche aufnehmen' (to pick up a stitch), or 'feste Maschen häkeln' (to crochet single stitches).
Wenn du eine Masche fallen lässt, kann der ganze Schal kaputtgehen.
If you drop a stitch, the whole scarf can be ruined.
In the meaning 'typical pattern of behavior' too, 'Masche' is colloquial. It describes a characteristic, often repeated way in which someone behaves.
Sei nicht böse, das ist einfach seine Masche, um Aufmerksamkeit zu bekommen.
Don't be mad; that's just his routine for getting attention.
tour
Tour and Masche can both refer to someone’s personal way of doing things. Tour describes this way more generally and often for a single situation, while Masche sounds more like a typical pattern of behavior that someone repeatedly shows. Masche is therefore more suitable for a recurring pattern.
Seine Masche ist es, immer freundlich zu tun und sich dann Vorteile zu verschaffen.
His routine is to act friendly and then take advantage of the situation.
Mit seiner freundlichen Tour bekam er den vergessenen Schlüssel doch noch zurück.
By using his friendly approach, he managed to get the forgotten key back after all.
