01
die Schale
shell / peel
The outer, often hard covering of fruits, nuts, or eggs.
example
Bitte wirf die Bananenschale in den Biomüll.
Please throw the banana peel into the organic waste.
die Schale
shell / bowl
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 04
Usage tips
Shared basic idea
Although the meanings are different, they share the basic idea of an outer covering (as with a fruit or shellfish) or an enclosing container (like a bowl).
EXAMPLE
Sowohl die Schale der Orange als auch die Schale für den Salat dienen als eine Art Behälter.
Both the peel of the orange and the bowl for the salad serve as a kind of container.
Context clue
The context makes the meaning clear. If people are talking about fruit or eggs, the covering is meant. If food is on the table, the container is meant. At the beach, you find the shells of shellfish.
EXAMPLE
Gib mir bitte die Schale mit dem Obstsalat.
Please pass me the bowl with the fruit salad.
Typical combinations
In the meaning 'Hülle' (covering), 'Schale' (shell/peel) is often used in compounds such as 'Bananenschale' (banana peel), 'Eierschale' (eggshell), or 'Nussschale' (nutshell). The idiom 'harte Schale, weicher Kern' (hard shell, soft core) is also very common.
EXAMPLE
Er wirkt unnahbar, aber er hat eine harte Schale und einen weichen Kern.
He seems unapproachable, but he has a hard shell and a soft core.
Use as a container
As a container, 'Schale' (bowl) is typically used for soups, salads, cereal, or fruit. People often say 'einer Schale voll mit...' (a bowl full of...) or 'einer Schale von etwas' (a bowl of something).
EXAMPLE
Zum Frühstück esse ich immer eine Schale Müsli mit frischen Früchten.
For breakfast I always eat a bowl of cereal with fresh fruit.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'sich in Schale werfen' (to dress up) is a fixed unit. It is always used reflexively with 'sich' and the preposition 'in'.
EXAMPLE
Für die Oper hat sie sich ordentlich in Schale geworfen.
She really dressed up for the opera.
Compare with
Schale vs Haut
skin
'die Haut' and 'die Schale' can both mean the outer layer of fruit or vegetables. 'Haut' is more appropriate when this layer is thin and soft, for example with tomatoes or peaches. 'Schale' is used more for a more distinct or harder covering, for example with oranges, nuts, or eggs. Learners may confuse the words because both are on the outside and protect something. As a simple guide: for humans and animals, the neutral word is 'Haut'; for hard coverings on foods, it is usually 'Schale'.
Schale
Nach dem Essen hat die Familie die Schalen der Orangen in den Biomüll geworfen.
After the meal, the family threw the orange peels into the organic waste bin.
Haut
Die Haut der Tomate löst sich leichter, wenn man sie kurz in heißes Wasser legt.
The skin of the tomato comes off more easily if you briefly put it in hot water.
In real life
Loading video examples...