steel
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steel
A very strong and hard alloy of iron and a small amount of carbon, used in construction, mechanical engineering, and for many tools.
Die Brücke wurde aus Stahl und Beton konstruiert.
The bridge was constructed from steel and concrete.
Careful: 'der Stahl' (the metal) sounds like the English verb 'to steal' ('stehlen' in German). These words do not share a meaning. The German term for the metal is 'Stahl' (steel), while the German verb for the criminal act is 'stehlen' (to steal).
Dieses Messer ist aus hartem Stahl, nicht aus Silber.
This knife is made of hard steel, not silver.
'Stahl' (steel) is an uncountable noun (mass noun). When talking about the material in general, it is often used without an article. The plural 'die Stähle' is rare and is used only in technical language for different types of steel.
Für den Bau von Schiffen wird sehr viel Stahl benötigt.
A lot of steel is needed for building ships.
In the figurative meaning, 'Stahl' (steel) is often used in fixed expressions to express strength or insensitivity. Typical phrases are 'Nerven aus Stahl haben' (to have nerves of steel), 'ein stählerner Wille' (an iron/steely will), or 'ein Körper wie aus Stahl' (a body like steel).
Die Soldatin zeigte im Einsatz einen Willen aus Stahl.
The soldier showed a will of steel during the operation.
strength / starch
'die Stärke' and 'der Stahl' can both be connected with great force or hardness, but they function very differently. 'Stärke' is the normal word for strength or intensity, for example with wind, light, or a person. 'Stahl' is actually a very hard material. In a figurative sense, 'Stahl' is used more metaphorically when you want to express extreme hardness or resilience. In everyday language, people usually say 'Stärke' for strength. 'Stahl' fits mainly in fixed or figurative expressions.
Nach der schweren Zeit hatte er Nerven aus Stahl.
After the difficult time, he had nerves of steel.
Nach dem Training merkt Lena die Stärke ihrer Beine.
After training, Lena notices the strength in her legs.