01
der Mittelfinger
middle finger
The third and longest finger of the human hand, located between the index finger and the ring finger.
example
Er verletzte sich beim Sport am Mittelfinger.
He injured his middle finger while playing sports.
der Mittelfinger
middle finger
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word composition
The word is built very logically. It consists of 'Mittel-' (middle), which describes the position in the center, and 'Finger' (finger). So it is literally the finger in the middle of the hand.
EXAMPLE
Der Ring passt nur an meinen Mittelfinger.
The ring only fits on my middle finger.
Fixed expression
The insulting gesture is always expressed with the verb 'zeigen' (to show). The structure is fixed: 'jemandem (dative) den Mittelfinger (accusative) zeigen' (to give someone the finger).
EXAMPLE
Er war so wütend, dass er dem anderen Fahrer den Mittelfinger zeigte.
He was so angry that he gave the other driver the finger.
Context clue
You can tell from the verb whether the finger as a body part or the gesture is meant. Medical or neutral verbs like 'sich brechen' (to break) or 'bewegen' (to move) refer to the finger. The verb 'zeigen' (to show) in a conflict refers to the gesture.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann meinen Mittelfinger nach der Verletzung kaum bewegen.
I can hardly move my middle finger after the injury.
Compare with
Mittelfinger vs Zeigefinger
index finger
'der Zeigefinger' and 'der Mittelfinger' are both fingers of the hand and are right next to each other. That is why learners can easily confuse the words. The 'Zeigefinger' is between the thumb and the middle finger and is often used for pointing. The 'Mittelfinger' is between the index finger and the ring finger and is usually the longest finger. The fixed gesture is also important: 'den Mittelfinger zeigen' means to give the finger and is very insulting. 'mit erhobenem Zeigefinger' (with a raised finger), on the other hand, means something more like admonishing or lecturing.
Mittelfinger
Beim Basketball hat sich Paul den Mittelfinger verletzt.
Paul injured his middle finger while playing basketball.
Zeigefinger
Im Museum legt sie den Zeigefinger auf die Karte und zeigt den Treffpunkt.
In the museum, she places her index finger on the map and points to the meeting place.
In real life
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