catch / trickiness
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catch / trickiness
A hidden difficulty, danger, or malicious quality of a thing or situation that is not immediately obvious.
Die Tücke dieses Vertrags steckt in den kleingedruckten Klauseln.
The catch in this contract lies in the fine-print clauses.
'Die Tücke' belongs to the word family of the adjective 'tückisch' (treacherous/tricky). A situation that is 'tückisch' (treacherous/tricky) has a hidden 'Tücke' (catch, difficulty, or danger).
Die Strömung in diesem Fluss ist tückisch und hat ihre Tücken.
The current in this river is treacherous and has its hidden dangers.
'Tücke' is often used in the construction 'die Tücke liegt in etwas (Dativ)' (the catch lies in something, dative) to describe where the hidden difficulty lies. A well-known saying is 'Die Tücke liegt im Detail' (the devil is in the details).
Die Tücke bei diesem Rezept liegt in der genauen Backzeit.
The catch with this recipe lies in the exact baking time.
The expression 'die Tücke des Objekts' (the cussedness of objects) is a very common fixed expression. It is used humorously when an object stops working exactly when you need it most urgently.
Der Drucker ging genau vor dem wichtigen Meeting kaputt – die klassische Tücke des Objekts.
The printer broke down right before the important meeting—the classic cussedness of objects.
danger
'die Gefahr' and 'die Tücke' can both point to something problematic. 'die Gefahr' is the general word for a situation in which harm can occur. 'die Tücke' means more of a hidden difficulty or danger that you do not recognize immediately. The word often sounds a bit more figurative and is used when something causes problems only later. The words can be confused because a Tücke can also be dangerous. If the threat is clear and direct, 'Gefahr' fits better; if the problem is hidden or surprising, 'Tücke' fits better.
Die Tücke an diesem Rezept ist, dass die Soße sehr schnell anbrennt.
The catch with this recipe is that the sauce burns very quickly.
Auf der Baustelle besteht Gefahr, wenn man keinen Helm trägt.
On the construction site, there is danger if you do not wear a helmet.