die Schwalbe
swallow
A small, fast migratory bird with a forked tail that often nests near people.
EXAMPLE
Die Schwalben kehren jedes Frühjahr zu ihrem Nest unter unserem Dach zurück.
The swallows return to their nest under our roof every spring.
die Schwalbe
swallow
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Meanings
die Schwalbe
dive
In soccer, the deliberate act of a player falling down in order to fake a foul and provoke a free kick or penalty.
EXAMPLE
Der Schiedsrichter gab dem Stürmer die gelbe Karte für eine offensichtliche Schwalbe.
The referee gave the striker a yellow card for an obvious dive.
die Schwalbe
Schwalbe moped
A well-known small motorcycle model (moped) that was manufactured in the former GDR and has cult status today.
EXAMPLE
Er hat seine alte Schwalbe restauriert und fährt damit jetzt bei schönem Wetter.
He restored his old Schwalbe and now rides it when the weather is nice.
die Schwalbe
arabesque / spiral
A gymnastics exercise or a figure in figure skating in which you balance on one leg and hold your body horizontally with your arms stretched out to the side.
EXAMPLE
Beim Bodenturnen zeigte sie eine perfekte Schwalbe als Standelement.
In floor gymnastics, she performed a perfect arabesque as a standing element.
Usage tips
Fixed expression
There is the well-known proverb 'Eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer' (one swallow does not make a summer). It means that a single positive sign is not yet a guarantee of a lasting positive development.
EXAMPLE
Nur weil eine Prüfung gut lief, heißt das nicht, dass das Semester einfach wird. Eine Schwalbe macht noch keinen Sommer.
Just because one exam went well doesn't mean the semester will be easy. One swallow does not make a summer.
Soccer context clue
When 'Schwalbe' (dive) is mentioned in sports, it is almost always about soccer. Words like 'Spieler' (player), 'Strafraum' (penalty area), 'Foul' (foul), or 'Schiedsrichter' (referee) make it clear that deliberate falling is meant.
EXAMPLE
Der Stürmer ist für seine häufigen Schwalben bekannt.
The striker is known for his frequent dives.
Typical collocation
In a soccer context, deliberate falling is expressed as a fixed phrase with the verb 'machen' (to make/do): 'eine Schwalbe machen' (to take a dive).
EXAMPLE
Der Verteidiger hat den Stürmer nicht berührt, er hat nur eine Schwalbe gemacht.
The defender didn't touch the striker; he only took a dive.
Moped context clue
When the context is a vehicle, it refers to the cult moped from the GDR. Clues include verbs like 'fahren' (to ride/drive) and 'restaurieren' (to restore), or a reference to the GDR era.
EXAMPLE
Mein Opa hat seine alte Schwalbe im Keller wiedergefunden.
My grandpa found his old Schwalbe in the basement again.
Gymnastics context clue
You can recognize the meaning as a gymnastics exercise from the context. Words like 'Turnen' (gymnastics), 'Eiskunstlauf' (figure skating), 'Figur' (figure), or 'Balance' (balance) point to this meaning.
EXAMPLE
Die Eiskunstläuferin zeigte eine elegante Schwalbe.
The figure skater performed an elegant spiral.
Compare with
Schwalbe vs Waage
scale / Libra
For the one-legged balance figure, only „die Schwalbe“ is attested in the specified meanings. „Die Waage“, by contrast, does not refer to such an exercise here, but has other uses in the accepted meanings. „Schwalbe“ is therefore the appropriate word for this figure; „Waage“ cannot be used synonymously.
Schwalbe
Die Turnerin hielt die Schwalbe mehrere Sekunden lang sicher auf einem Bein.
The gymnast held the arabesque securely on one leg for several seconds.
Waage
Die Waage im Badezimmer zeigt heute sechzig Kilogramm an.
The bathroom scale shows sixty kilograms today.
In real life
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