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die Stange
pole / rod
A long, thin, and usually round object made of a solid material such as metal, wood, or plastic.
example
Er befestigte die Fahne an einer langen Metallstange.
He attached the flag to a long metal pole.
die Stange
pole / rod
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The base word 'Stange' (pole/rod) is part of many compound nouns that describe a long, thin object. Examples are 'Gardinenstange' (curtain rod), 'Fahnenstange' (flagpole), or 'Kleiderstange' (clothes rail).
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen noch eine neue Gardinenstange für das Wohnzimmer kaufen.
We still need to buy a new curtain rod for the living room.
Dative construction
The idiom 'jemandem die Stange halten' (to stand by someone) requires the dative. The person who is being supported is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Seine Freunde haben ihm auch in schwierigen Zeiten die Stange gehalten.
His friends stood by him even in difficult times.
Fixed preposition
The expression 'bei der Stange bleiben' (to stick with it) is always used with the preposition 'bei'. It means that you do not give up an activity or plan.
EXAMPLE
Deutsch zu lernen ist schwer, aber ich versuche, bei der Stange zu bleiben.
Learning German is hard, but I'm trying to stick with it.
Fixed expression
The expression 'eine Stange Geld' (a lot of money) is a fixed, colloquial expression for a large sum of money. The word 'Stange' cannot be replaced by another word here.
EXAMPLE
Die Reparatur des Autos hat eine Stange Geld gekostet.
Repairing the car cost a lot of money.
Unit of quantity
In the context of tobacco products, 'eine Stange' (a carton) is a fixed unit of quantity. A 'Stange Zigaretten' (carton of cigarettes) refers to packaging that typically contains 8 to 10 packs.
EXAMPLE
Am Flughafen kann man Zigaretten oft günstiger pro Stange kaufen.
At the airport, you can often buy cigarettes more cheaply by the carton.
Regional context
In Cologne and the surrounding area, 'die Stange' refers to a special tall, narrow 0.2-liter glass from which the beer 'Kölsch' is traditionally drunk.
EXAMPLE
Der Kellner brachte uns zwei frische Stangen Kölsch.
The waiter brought us two fresh Stange glasses of Kölsch.
Compare with
Stange vs Glas
glass / jar
'das Glas' and 'die Stange' can both refer to a drinking vessel, but not to the same extent. 'Glas' is the general word for a container you drink from. It works for water, juice, wine, or beer. In this context, 'Stange' means a tall, narrow beer glass, especially for Kölsch. Learners may confuse the words because a Stange glass is also a glass. But not every glass is a 'Stange'. In everyday language, you usually say 'Glas'; 'Stange' only fits in certain beer-related and regional contexts.
Stange
In Köln bestellt Herr Yilmaz eine Stange Kölsch.
In Cologne, Mr. Yilmaz orders a Stange of Kölsch.
Glas
Das Glas ist leer, weil Tom den ganzen Saft getrunken hat.
The glass is empty because Tom drank all the juice.
In real life
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