die Tasse
cup
A small drinking vessel with a handle, typically used for hot drinks such as coffee or tea.
EXAMPLE
Möchtest du eine Tasse Tee zum Frühstück?
Would you like a cup of tea with breakfast?
die Tasse
cup
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Meanings
die Tasse
cup
The amount of liquid or ingredients that fits into a cup, often used as a unit of measurement in recipes.
EXAMPLE
Für den Teig benötigen Sie eine halbe Tasse Milch.
For the dough, you need half a cup of milk.
nicht alle Tassen im Schrank haben
to have a screw loose
A colloquial idiom meaning that someone is crazy or behaving very irrationally.
EXAMPLE
Er will bei diesem Sturm schwimmen gehen? Der hat doch nicht alle Tassen im Schrank!
He wants to go swimming in this storm? He must have a screw loose!
Usage tips
Typical compounds
'Tasse' (cup) is often the second part of compound nouns that describe the type of drink or the function more precisely. That way, you immediately know what the cup is intended for.
EXAMPLE
Für den Espresso nehme ich eine kleine Espressotasse.
For the espresso, I use a small espresso cup.
Use as a unit of measurement
In cooking and baking recipes, 'Tasse' (cup) is often used as a unit of measurement. This does not refer to a standardized number of milliliters, but rather to the ratio of the ingredients to one another.
EXAMPLE
Für den Kuchen brauchst du zwei Tassen Mehl und eine Tasse Zucker.
For the cake, you need two cups of flour and one cup of sugar.
Fixed idiom
The expression 'nicht alle Tassen im Schrank haben' (to not have all one's cups in the cupboard) is a fixed idiom. The structure cannot be changed; only the verb 'haben' (to have) is adapted to the person. The expression is very colloquial.
EXAMPLE
Du willst bei null Grad im See baden? Du hast doch nicht alle Tassen im Schrank!
You want to go swimming in the lake at zero degrees? You must have a screw loose!
Compare with
Tasse vs Becher
cup
For a drinking vessel used for coffee or tea, both Tasse and Becher can be correct. A Tasse is usually smaller and has a handle, whereas a Becher is generally handleless and less specific in shape. The exact shape and size determine the choice, and the boundary is not always clear-cut.
Tasse
Zum Kaffee nahm sie eine kleine Tasse mit Henkel.
She took a small cup with a handle for her coffee.
Becher
Für den Kaffee unterwegs nahm sie einen henkellosen Becher.
She took a handleless cup for her coffee on the go.
In real life
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