German Tools & DIY Vocabulary
This set covers the physical vocabulary of fixing and building things: der Nagel and der Bolzen for fastening, der Meißel and die Zange for shaping and gripping, and der Presslufthammer for when hand tools aren't enough. One trap for English speakers is der Klotz: it looks like it should mean 'clot' or something soft, but it's a solid block of wood or stone, the kind you'd use to prop something up on a workbench.
Learn these 32 words
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All 32 words
to renovate
Wir renovieren das ganze Haus. — We are renovating the whole house.
plural: die Leitern
ladder
Haben Sie eine Leiter für mich? Ich will die Fenster putzen. — Do you have a ladder for me? I want to clean the windows.
plural: die Nadeln
needle
Hast du eine Nadel für mich? Ich muss einen Knopf annähen. — Do you have a needle for me? I need to sew on a button.
plural: die Nägel
nail
Kannst du mir den Nagel in die Wand schlagen? — Can you hammer the nail into the wall for me?
plural: die Werkzeuge
tool
Wir hatten kein Werkzeug für die Reparatur dabei. — We didn't have the tools for the repair.
plural: die Zangen
pliers, tongs
Um das Fahrrad zu reparieren, brauchst du eine Zange. — To repair the bicycle, you need pliers.
to seal / stop up
Wir müssen die Fenster abdichten. — We need to seal the windows.
plural: die Baupläne
building plan
Der Bauplan zeigt alle Details des Hauses. — The building plan shows all details of the house.
plural: die Bolzen
a bolt / pin
Der Bolzen hält die beiden Metallteile zusammen. — The bolt holds the two metal parts together.
plural: die Drähte
wire
Der Draht hält die Zaun zusammen. — The wire holds the fence together.
plural: die Gerüste
scaffolding
Die Arbeiter bauten ein stabiles Gerüst für die Renovierung. — The workers built a sturdy scaffolding for the renovation.
plural: die Haken
hook / peg
Hänge die Jacke an den Haken. — Hang the jacket on the hook.
plural: die Klebstoffe
adhesive / glue
Ich benutze Klebstoff, um das Papier zu reparieren. — I use adhesive to repair the paper.
plural: die Klötze
block / chunk / brick
Der Klotz liegt auf der Werkbank. — The block is lying on the workbench.
plural: die Kreuzschlitzschraubenzieher
a Phillips screwdriver
Der Kreuzschlitzschraubenzieher ist sehr praktisch. — The Phillips screwdriver is very practical.
plural: die Meißel
a chisel
Der Handwerker benutzt einen Meißel, um das Holz zu bearbeiten. — The craftsman uses a chisel to work the wood.
plural: die messerscharfen Kanten
a razor-sharp edge
Das Messer hat eine messerscharfe Kante. — The knife has a razor-sharp edge.
plural: die Mörtel
mortar (building material)
Der Mörtel verbindet die Steine zusammen. — The mortar binds the stones together.
plural: die Presslufthammer
jackhammer
Der Presslufthammer wird beim Abriss verwendet. — The jackhammer is used during demolition.
plural: die Saugnäpfe
suction cup / sucker
Der Saugnapf hält den Spiegel an der Wand. — The suction cup holds the mirror on the wall.
plural: die Scharniere
hinge
Das Scharnier der Tür ist rostfrei. — The hinge of the door is rust-free.
plural: die Schaufeln
shovel / scoop
Mit der Schaufel grabe ich ein Loch im Garten. — With the shovel I dig a hole in the garden.
plural: die Schippen
shovel / spade
Mit der Schippe schaufeln wir den Schnee. — With the shovel we shovel the snow.
to sand / sand down / rub down
Ich schmirgele die raue Oberfläche des Holzes. — I sand down the rough surface of the wood.
plural: die Schraubzwingen
a screw clamp
Die Schraubzwinge hält das Holz fest zusammen. — The screw clamp holds the wood firmly together.
to smooth over / fill in
Ich spachtele die Risse in der Wand glatt. — I smooth over the cracks in the wall.
plural: die Spitzhacken
pickaxe
Der Arbeiter benutzt eine Spitzhacke zum Graben. — The worker uses a pickaxe for digging.
plural: die Stäbe
rod / bar
Der Magier hält einen glänzenden Stab in der Hand. — The magician holds a shiny rod in his hand.
plural: die Vorrichtungen
device / fixture
Die Vorrichtung an der Maschine war defekt. — The device on the machine was broken.
plural: die Blasebälge
bellows
Der Schmied nutzt einen Blasebalg zum Feuer schüren. — The blacksmith uses bellows to stoke the fire.
plural: die Flaschenzüge
a pulley / hoist
Mit einem Flaschenzug können wir die Last heben. — With a pulley we can lift the load.
plural: die Gebläse
fan / blower / compressor
Das Gebläse reinigt die Oberfläche schnell. — The blower cleans the surface quickly.
How to learn this set
Several words here are compounds that tell you exactly what they do if you break them apart: Presslufthammer is Press+Luft+Hammer (compressed-air hammer), and Kreuzschlitzschraubenzieher is Kreuz+Schlitz+Schrauben+zieher (cross-slot screw-puller, i.e. Phillips screwdriver). Once you see that pattern, long tool names stop being scary and start being little instructions. For gender, notice that most of the tool nouns here (die Zange, die Leiter, die Nadel, die Schaufel, die Schippe) are feminine, so drill those five together as a group instead of memorizing each gender separately. For the verbs, absägen and abdichten both use the prefix ab- to mean removing or closing something off (sawing something away, sealing a gap shut), which is worth noticing next time you meet a new ab- verb.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between die Schaufel and die Schippe?
They both mean shovel and in most of Germany people use them interchangeably. Schippe is more common in the north and in everyday speech, while Schaufel shows up more in standard or technical contexts, but a builder will understand either one.
What is der Presslufthammer in English?
It's a jackhammer, literally a 'compressed-air hammer' (Pressluft + Hammer). You'll see it on any German construction site, usually shortened in speech to just Hammer if the context is obvious.
Is Werkzeug plural in German?
No, das Werkzeug is a singular collective noun, like 'equipment' in English. If you want to talk about several individual tools, you say Werkzeuge, but for 'a tool' in general you don't need a plural at all.
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