die Qualle
jellyfish
A usually transparent sea animal with a soft, gelatinous body and arms or tentacles.
EXAMPLE
Im flachen Wasser schwamm eine große Qualle an uns vorbei.
A large jellyfish swam past us in the shallow water.
die Qualle
jellyfish / weakling
die Qualle, die Quallen
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Meanings
die Qualle
weakling
Informally, a weak, limp, or indecisive person.
EXAMPLE
Steh endlich auf und benimm dich nicht wie eine Qualle.
Get up already and stop acting like a weakling.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Qualle, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Quallen |
| genitive | der Qualle |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Qualle | die Quallen |
| accusative | die Qualle | die Quallen |
| dative | der Qualle | den Quallen |
| genitive | der Qualle | der Quallen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether „Qualle“ (jellyfish) refers to a sea animal or a weak person: words like „Meer“ (sea), „Wasser“ (water), or „Tentakel“ (tentacles) indicate the animal meaning; when someone's behavior is being described, the informal meaning is usually intended.
EXAMPLE
Beim Schnorcheln entdeckten wir eine Qualle zwischen den Felsen.
While snorkeling, we spotted a jellyfish among the rocks.
Er lässt sich von allen herumkommandieren und wirkt wie eine Qualle.
He lets everyone order him around and seems like a weakling.
Typical collocations
In the context of the sea, „Qualle“ (jellyfish) frequently occurs in phrases such as „von einer Qualle gestochen werden“ (to be stung by a jellyfish), „eine Qualle im Wasser sehen“ (to see a jellyfish in the water), or „ein Quallenschwarm“ (a swarm of jellyfish).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Kontakt mit einer Qualle brannte seine Haut stark.
After coming into contact with a jellyfish, his skin burned badly.
Informal expression
The meaning of „Qualle“ (weakling) for a weak or indecisive person is informal and often derogatory. It is used especially in commands or direct criticism.
EXAMPLE
Sei keine Qualle und sag klar, was du willst.
Don't be a weakling—say clearly what you want.
In real life
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