guardian angel
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guardian angel
An angel believed to protect a specific person. Can be used both in a religious sense and in a general spiritual sense.
Viele Kinder glauben, dass ihr persönlicher Schutzengel immer bei ihnen ist.
Many children believe that their personal guardian angel is always with them.
The word is made up of 'der Schutz' (protection) and 'der Engel' (angel). A Schutzengel (guardian angel) is therefore literally an angel who provides protection to a person.
In dem Kinderbuch hat jedes Kind einen eigenen Schutzengel.
In the children's book, every child has their own guardian angel.
The expression 'einen Schutzengel haben' (to have a guardian angel) is used very frequently. It expresses that someone was very lucky in a dangerous situation and remained unharmed.
Der Ziegel fiel direkt neben mich auf den Boden. Da habe ich wirklich einen Schutzengel gehabt!
The brick fell to the ground right next to me. I really had a guardian angel there!
When a real person is referred to as a 'Schutzengel' (guardian angel), it means that they unexpectedly helped in an emergency. The context of a rescue action makes this figurative meaning clear.
Der Wanderer, der mir den Weg zurück ins Tal zeigte, war mein Schutzengel.
The hiker who showed me the way back down into the valley was my guardian angel.
happiness / luck
'das Glück' and 'der Schutzengel' can both appear in situations where someone escapes danger. 'Glück haben' (to be lucky) generally says that a fortunate coincidence helped. 'einen Schutzengel haben' (to have a guardian angel) is used especially when someone almost would have been injured in a dangerous situation, but nothing bad happened. The words can be confused because both express a good turn in an uncertain situation. 'Glück' can be used more broadly; 'Schutzengel' fits mainly with danger or rescue.
Nach dem Unfall sagte die Ärztin: „Du hast wirklich einen Schutzengel gehabt.“
After the accident, the doctor said, "You really had a guardian angel."
Tom hatte Glück, weil er den letzten Bus noch erreicht hat.
Tom was lucky because he still caught the last bus.