01
der Schnurrbart
mustache
The hair that grows on men's upper lip.
example
Er trägt einen sorgfältig gezwirbelten Schnurrbart.
He wears a carefully twirled mustache.
der Schnurrbart
mustache / whiskers
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Compound word
The word is made up of 'Schnurr-' and 'Bart' (beard). You can imagine it as a kind of 'beard in the shape of a cord' above the mouth. That helps you remember its position.
EXAMPLE
Viele berühmte Detektive in Büchern tragen einen Schnurrbart.
Many famous detectives in books have a mustache.
Context clue
The context makes clear which meaning is intended. If you are talking about a man, it is a mustache on the face. If you are talking about an animal like a cat or a seal, the sensory hairs are meant.
EXAMPLE
Mein Großvater hatte einen großen, grauen Schnurrbart.
My grandfather had a big gray mustache.
Typical verbs
When referring to a man's facial hair, the verbs 'tragen' (to wear), 'sich wachsen lassen' (to grow), 'stutzen' (to trim), or 'rasieren' (to shave) are often used.
EXAMPLE
Er überlegt, ob er sich einen Schnurrbart wachsen lassen soll.
He is thinking about whether he should grow a mustache.
Compare with
Schnurrbart vs Bart
beard
'der Bart' and 'der Schnurrbart' both have to do with hair on the face or around the snout. For people, 'der Bart' is the more general term: it can mean hair on the chin, on the cheeks, and above the upper lip. 'Der Schnurrbart' means only the hair above the upper lip. So a mustache can be part of a beard, but not every beard is a mustache. For animals, 'Schnurrbart' often means the long sensory hairs, especially on cats. 'Bart' can also mean threadlike appendages on animals or plants, but then it sounds more technical.
Schnurrbart
Sein Schnurrbart ist schmal und liegt direkt über der Oberlippe.
His mustache is narrow and sits directly above his upper lip.
Bart
Nach dem Urlaub hatte Max einen kurzen Bart am Kinn und an den Wangen.
After his vacation, Max had a short beard on his chin and cheeks.
In real life
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