nähen
to sew
To join or work with fabric, leather, or other materials using a needle and thread in order to make or repair clothing or other objects.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat gelernt, ihre eigenen Kleider zu nähen.
She learned to sew her own dresses.
nähen
to sew / stitch
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Meanings
nähen
to stitch
In medicine, to close a wound with a special needle and surgical thread.
EXAMPLE
Die tiefe Schnittwunde am Arm musste im Krankenhaus genäht werden.
The deep cut on his arm had to be stitched at the hospital.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'nähen' (to sew / stitch) is the base for other useful words. 'Die Naht' (the seam) is the line where two pieces of fabric are joined, and 'die Nähmaschine' (the sewing machine) is the device used for sewing.
EXAMPLE
An meiner Jacke ist eine Naht aufgegangen.
A seam has come undone on my jacket.
Context clue
The object of the verb makes clear which meaning is intended. If you sew 'ein Kleid' (a dress), 'einen Vorhang' (a curtain), or 'einen Knopf' (a button), the craft activity is meant. If you stitch 'eine Wunde' (a wound), the medical procedure is meant.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt erklärte, dass er die Wunde sofort nähen müsse.
The doctor explained that he had to stitch the wound immediately.
Sentence structure with prepositions
Different prepositions describe the sewing action more precisely. You sew something 'an' something (a button onto a shirt), 'auf' something (a patch onto a pair of trousers), or 'aus' something (a dress out of linen).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir diesen Knopf wieder an meine Jacke nähen?
Can you sew this button back onto my jacket for me?
Use in the passive
In a medical context, 'nähen' (to stitch) is very often used in the passive, because the person with the wound does not perform the action themselves. A typical formulation is: 'Die Wunde musste genäht werden.' (The wound had to be stitched.)
EXAMPLE
Nach dem kleinen Unfall musste sein Kinn mit drei Stichen genäht werden.
After the small accident, his chin had to be stitched with three stitches.
Compare with
nähen vs stopfen
to stuff / darn
Nähen is the general practice of working with a needle and thread and can also involve repairing textiles. Stopfen more specifically means closing a hole in a textile with thread. You can sew a tear or an open seam; stopfen is more precise for a hole in a sock.
nähen
Sie näht den Riss in der Socke mit einigen Stichen zusammen.
She sews the tear in the sock back together with a few stitches.
stopfen
Sie stopft das Loch in der Socke sorgfältig mit passendem Garn.
She carefully darns the hole in the sock with matching yarn.
In real life
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