01
der Zeh
toe
One of the five movable digits at the front end of the foot in humans and many animals.
example
Ich habe mir den kleinen Zeh am Stuhlbein gestoßen.
I stubbed my little toe on the chair leg.
der Zeh
toe
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Typical collocations
Common verbs in connection with 'Zeh' (toe) describe minor accidents or movements. Typical phrases are 'sich den Zeh stoßen' (to stub one's toe), 'sich den Zeh brechen' (to break one's toe), or 'auf den Zehenspitzen gehen' (to walk on tiptoe).
EXAMPLE
Sei leise, die Kinder schlafen schon. Wir müssen auf Zehenspitzen gehen.
Be quiet, the children are already asleep. We have to walk on tiptoe.
Specific toes
As in English, German also distinguishes between the 'großen Zeh' (big toe) and the 'kleinen Zeh' (little toe) to differentiate them from the others.
EXAMPLE
Er hat sich beim Wandern am großen Zeh verletzt.
He injured his big toe while hiking.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'jemandem auf die Zehen treten' (to step on someone's toes) is fixed. The person you annoy is always in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Vorsicht mit dieser Bemerkung, damit trittst du deinem Chef auf die Zehen.
Be careful with that remark; you'll step on your boss's toes with it.
Compare with
Zeh vs Fuß
foot
'der Fuß' and 'der Zeh' are both parts of the body and are located at the bottom of the leg. The important difference is: the foot is the whole body part that you stand and walk on. A toe is only one individual part at the front of the foot. Learners may confuse the words because both are important for walking and for shoes. If you mean the whole area, say 'Fuß'. If you mean one of the small movable parts at the front, say 'Zeh'.
Zeh
Beim Aufräumen bin ich mit dem kleinen Zeh gegen den Tisch gestoßen.
While tidying up, I bumped my little toe against the table.
Fuß
Nach dem langen Spaziergang tut mir der rechte Fuß weh.
After the long walk, my right foot hurts.
In real life
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