strength / starch
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strength
A positive quality, a special ability, or an advantage of a person or thing.
Ihre größte Stärke ist ihre Fähigkeit, komplexe Probleme schnell zu lösen.
Her greatest strength is her ability to solve complex problems quickly.
strength
The physical force or intensity of something.
Die Stärke des Windes hat im Laufe des Tages zugenommen.
The strength of the wind increased over the course of the day.
starch
A white powder made from potatoes, corn, or grain that is used to thicken sauces and soups.
Um die Soße anzudicken, rühre ich etwas Stärke in kaltem Wasser an.
To thicken the sauce, I mix some starch with cold water.
strength
The number of people in a group, especially in a military or police context.
Die Einheit rückte in voller Stärke von 200 Soldaten an.
The unit advanced at full strength with 200 soldiers.
'Die Stärke' (strength) is the noun from the adjective 'stark' (strong). This conversion from an adjective to a feminine noun is common in German, for example also with 'groß' (big) → 'die Größe' (size) or 'kalt' (cold) → 'die Kälte' (coldness/cold).
Die wahre Stärke eines Teams zeigt sich in schwierigen Situationen.
The true strength of a team shows itself in difficult situations.
The four meanings of 'Stärke' (strength/starch) are clearly separated by context: personal abilities (m01), physical forces such as wind (m02), an ingredient in cooking (m03), or the number of people in a group (m04).
Die Stärke des Motors war für das schwere Fahrzeug nicht ausreichend.
The strength of the engine was not sufficient for the heavy vehicle.
In connection with personal abilities, 'Stärke' (strength) is often used in the plural and as the opposite of 'Schwächen' (weaknesses). In job interviews, people often ask about your own strengths and weaknesses.
Geduld ist nicht gerade eine meiner Stärken.
Patience is not exactly one of my strengths.
When 'Stärke' (starch) means a cooking ingredient, it is often used with verbs such as 'anrühren' (to mix/stir), 'zugeben' (to add), or 'binden' (to thicken). For example, you thicken a sauce with starch.
Für den Pudding musst du zuerst die Stärke mit etwas kalter Milch anrühren.
For the pudding, you first have to mix the starch with a little cold milk.
The meaning 'number of people' is technical language used mainly in the military or by the police. A fixed expression for this is 'in voller Stärke' (at full strength), which means 'with all available personnel'.
Die Feuerwehr rückte in voller Stärke zum Einsatzort aus.
The fire department went to the scene at full strength.
strength / force
Kraft and Stärke can both refer to physical ability. Kraft tends to mean the strength someone can exert directly, while Stärke can also describe an existing quality or its extent. Kraft is often appropriate for a specific exertion, while Stärke is more suitable for describing a quality.
Seine große Stärke ist, dass er auch schwere Möbel sicher tragen kann.
His great strength is that he can carry even heavy furniture safely.
Für den Umzug brauchte er viel Kraft, um das schwere Sofa zu tragen.
He needed a lot of strength to carry the heavy sofa during the move.
