die Sauce
sauce
A liquid to creamy, seasoned preparation served with hot or cold dishes to improve or complement their flavor.
EXAMPLE
Zu den Nudeln gab es eine cremige Tomatensauce.
The pasta came with a creamy tomato sauce.
die Sauce
sauce
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Meanings
die Sauce
gunk / mess
Colloquially and often disparagingly, an unattractive, dirty, or undefinable liquid.
EXAMPLE
Was ist das für eine klebrige Sauce, die hier auf dem Boden verschüttet wurde?
What is this sticky gunk that got spilled here on the floor?
Usage tips
Origin of the word
'Sauce' (sauce) is a loanword from French. Although it is integrated into the German language, it retains a foreign-language feel.
EXAMPLE
In der französischen Küche sind Saucen besonders wichtig.
In French cuisine, sauces are especially important.
Typical compounds
The word 'Sauce' (sauce) is the base word for countless specific sauces. You simply form a compound with the main ingredient, such as 'Tomatensauce' (tomato sauce), 'Käsesauce' (cheese sauce), or 'Vanillesauce' (vanilla sauce).
EXAMPLE
Zum Schnitzel passt am besten eine Champignon-Rahm-Sauce.
A creamy mushroom sauce goes best with schnitzel.
Typical verbs
In connection with preparing sauces, the verbs 'zubereiten' (to prepare), 'anrühren' (to mix up), 'kochen' (to cook), or 'binden' (to thicken, literally to bind) are often used.
EXAMPLE
Man kann eine helle Sauce mit etwas Mehl binden.
You can thicken a light sauce with a little flour.
Colloquial meaning
In its colloquial meaning, 'Sauce' (gunk/mess) is used disparagingly for an unappetizing or dirty liquid. The context is usually negative.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Regen war der Feldweg eine einzige braune Sauce.
After the rain, the dirt road was one big brown mess.
Compare with
Sauce vs Brühe
broth / sludge
Sauce and Brühe can both be used disparagingly for an unattractive or indefinable liquid. Brühe more strongly suggests a thin, watery, or murky liquid, especially one containing dirt or mud, whereas Sauce is more general. Use Brühe when the murky consistency stands out and Sauce as a general disparaging term.
Sauce
Was aus dem alten Eimer lief, war eine übel riechende Sauce.
What ran out of the old bucket was a foul-smelling mess.
Brühe
Was nach dem Regen auf dem Weg stand, war eine schmutzige Brühe.
What was standing on the path after the rain was filthy sludge.
In real life
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