01
die Sense
scythe
An agricultural tool with a long handle and a long, curved blade for mowing grass or grain by hand.
example
Früher mähte der Bauer die Wiese mit der Sense.
In the past, the farmer mowed the meadow with a scythe.
die Sense
scythe
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
Careful, 'die Sense' (the scythe) is a false friend! It does not mean 'Sinn' (meaning/sense) or 'Gefühl' (feeling) like the English word 'sense'. The German word refers to the long, curved mowing tool.
EXAMPLE
Der Bauer schärfte die Klinge seiner Sense.
The farmer sharpened the blade of his scythe.
Typical collocations
The typical verb used with 'Sense' (scythe) is 'mähen' (to mow). The fixed collocation is 'mit der Sense mähen' (to mow with a scythe).
EXAMPLE
Mein Großvater hat mir gezeigt, wie man Gras mit der Sense mäht.
My grandfather showed me how to mow grass with a scythe.
Cultural context
As a symbol, the scythe is inseparably linked with the figure of the 'Sensenmann' (Grim Reaper). In this role, it represents death, which 'mows down' life.
EXAMPLE
In dem alten Märchen erscheint der Tod als Mann mit einer Sense.
In the old fairy tale, Death appears as a man with a scythe.
Compare with
Sense vs Rasenmäher
lawn mower
'die Sense' and 'der Rasenmäher' can both be used to cut grass. The difference lies in the tool and the typical situation. A 'Sense' is an old hand tool with a long handle and a curved blade. It is used more on meadows or where tall grass is mowed by hand. A 'Rasenmäher' is a device or machine for a garden lawn and cuts the grass evenly short. The words can be confused because both have to do with mowing. For a normal garden, you usually say 'Rasenmäher'; for the traditional tool, you say 'Sense'.
Sense
Auf der Wiese mäht der Bauer das hohe Gras mit einer Sense.
In the meadow, the farmer mows the tall grass with a scythe.
Rasenmäher
Am Samstag holt Max den Rasenmäher aus der Garage und kürzt den Gartenrasen.
On Saturday, Max gets the lawn mower out of the garage and cuts the garden lawn.
In real life
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