die Gurke, -n
cucumber
Ein langes, grünes Gemüse mit viel Wasser, das oft roh im Salat gegessen wird.
Definition & meaning
Gurke usually means cucumber, the green vegetable:
- eine Gurke — a cucumber
- Salatgurke — a salad cucumber, usually eaten raw
- Essiggurke or Gewürzgurke — a pickled cucumber
In colloquial German, Gurke can also describe:
-
A useless, poor-quality, or old object, especially a vehicle:
Dieses alte Auto ist eine Gurke. — “This old car is a wreck.” -
An awkward, clumsy, or incompetent person, usually mildly insulting:
Er ist vielleicht eine Gurke! — “He’s such a klutz!”
The exact meaning depends on the context. The vegetable meaning is neutral; the figurative meanings are colloquial.
Grammar & Word origin
- Gender: feminine — die Gurke
- Plural: die Gurken
- Accusative singular: die Gurke
- Dative singular: der Gurke
Gurke is not normally analyzed as a modern German compound; it is a simple noun. The word was borrowed into German through Slavic languages, especially Polish ogórek. Its more distant origin is connected with Greek and related words for cucumber.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
For the vegetable:
- Salatgurke — specifically a cucumber intended for salads; it is more specific than Gurke.
- Essiggurke — a cucumber preserved in vinegar; it refers to a prepared form rather than a fresh cucumber.
- Gewürzgurke — a seasoned or pickled cucumber, also more specific than Gurke.
For the figurative meaning of a bad object:
- Schrottkarre — literally “scrap car”; much harsher and specifically used for a very bad car.
- Klapperkiste — an old, noisy vehicle or machine; it emphasizes rattling and age.
- Niete — an incompetent person or failure; it is generally more insulting than the figurative use of Gurke.
There is no exact general antonym for Gurke in its figurative sense. Depending on context, possible opposites include Qualitätsprodukt (“quality product”) for an object or Profi (“professional”) for a person.
Common phrases & collocations
- eine Gurke essen — to eat a cucumber
- Gurkensalat — cucumber salad
- Gurkenglas — jar of pickled cucumbers
- eine alte Gurke — an old, useless car or object
- eine Gurke sein — to be clumsy, incompetent, or generally useless in a humorous or mildly insulting way
- Gurkenzeit — the slow news period, especially during the summer; also called the “silly season” in English.
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Examples
Die Gurke ist frisch und grün.noun
The cucumber is fresh and green.
Kaufst du bitte zwei Gurken?noun
Will you please buy two cucumbers?
Ich schneide die Gurke für den Salat.noun
I am cutting the cucumber for the salad.
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