die Stecknadel
pin
A small pin with a sharp point and a head, used to temporarily fasten fabric, paper, or other thin materials.
EXAMPLE
Ich befestige den Stoff mit einer Stecknadel.
I fasten the fabric with a pin.
die Stecknadel
pin
die Stecknadel, die Stecknadeln
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Stecknadel, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Stecknadeln |
| genitive | der Stecknadel |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Stecknadel | die Stecknadeln |
| accusative | die Stecknadel | die Stecknadeln |
| dative | der Stecknadel | den Stecknadeln |
| genitive | der Stecknadel | der Stecknadeln |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word formation
'Stecknadel' (pin) is made up of 'steck-' (from 'stecken', to stick into) and 'Nadel' (needle). The first part indicates that you stick the pin into a material to fasten something temporarily.
EXAMPLE
Für das Schnittmuster steckt sie mehrere Stecknadeln in den Stoff.
She sticks several pins into the fabric to hold the sewing pattern in place.
Typical collocations
Common phrases include 'etwas mit einer Stecknadel befestigen' (to fasten something with a pin), 'eine Stecknadel herausziehen' (to pull out a pin), and 'sich an einer Stecknadel stechen' (to prick yourself with a pin). 'Stecknadel' (pin) is especially common in contexts involving fabric, paper, or sewing.
EXAMPLE
Beim Nähen zog er vorsichtig jede Stecknadel aus dem Stoff.
While sewing, he carefully pulled each pin out of the fabric.
Fixed expression
In the idiom 'eine Stecknadel im Heuhaufen suchen' (to look for a needle in a haystack), 'Stecknadel' (pin) represents something that is very difficult to find among a large number of things. The expression is usually used when a search is particularly difficult or almost hopeless.
EXAMPLE
Die alte Quittung in diesem unordentlichen Ordner zu finden, ist wie die Suche nach einer Stecknadel im Heuhaufen.
Finding the old receipt in this disorganized folder is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
In real life
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