punch line
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punch line
The surprising, often funny final effect of a joke, anecdote, or story that gives the whole thing its point.
Alle lachten, als er endlich die Pointe des langen Witzes erzählte.
Everyone laughed when he finally told the punch line of the long joke.
The word 'Pointe' comes from French and means 'tip' or 'point'. This explains its special pronunciation, which differs from the German spelling.
Der Witz war gut, aber ich habe die Pointe nicht sofort verstanden.
The joke was good, but I didn't understand the punch line right away.
Common verbs with 'Pointe' (punch line) are 'eine Pointe erzählen' (to tell a punch line), 'eine Pointe verstehen' (to understand a punch line), or 'eine Pointe verderben' (to spoil a punch line), when you reveal the ending too early.
Erzähl den Witz nicht weiter, sonst verdirbst du die Pointe!
Don't tell the joke to anyone else, or you'll spoil the punch line!
The punch line is often mentioned at the end of a story. You can also introduce it with a subordinate clause, for example: 'Die Pointe der Geschichte ist, dass ...' (The punch line of the story is that ...).
Die Pointe des Films war, dass der Held die ganze Zeit nur geträumt hatte.
The punch line of the film was that the hero had only been dreaming the whole time.
joke
'der Witz' and 'die Pointe' are closely connected, but they are not the same thing. A 'Witz' is the whole short funny story. The 'Pointe' is the surprising ending or the decisive sentence that makes the joke funny. The words can be confused because many jokes do not work without a punch line. If you mean the whole story, use 'Witz'. If you mean only the surprising final point, use 'Pointe'.
Die Pointe kam so unerwartet, dass alle erst kurz still waren und dann lachten.
The punch line came so unexpectedly that everyone was quiet for a moment at first and then laughed.
Du hast gestern im Park einen Witz erzählt, aber ich habe ihn nicht ganz verstanden.
You told a joke in the park yesterday, but I didn't fully understand it.