Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ecke | /ˈɛkə/ | feminine |
| Winkel | /ˈvɪŋkəl/ | masculine |
Ecke is used to describe a physical corner, such as a street corner or the corner of a room. The related verbal phrase in die Enge treiben means to trap someone in a difficult position.
Which one should you use?
Ecke refers to a physical angle or a street corner. In contrast, Winkel is used when referring to a geometric angle rather than a physical corner of a building or object. Winkel can also be used to describe a corner in a more formal sense, particularly for sharp corners or corners formed by intersecting lines.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Ecke is a feminine noun, and its plural form is Ecken. Winkel is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɛkə/
When do people say it?
The phrase In die Ecke damit! is a common idiomatic way to tell someone to put something away or get rid of something, often used when speaking to children or regarding messy objects.
Did you know?
- The word Winkel is a cognate of the Dutch word winkel, though in Dutch it actually means 'shop'.
- In German, the word Winkel is also used to describe a remote, secluded place or a 'hidden corner' of the world.
- While Ecke is the standard for a street corner, a 'corner' in a sports match, like football, is called a Eckball.
Examples in context
- Er ging zur Ecke.He walked to the corner.This sentence shows someone walking to the corner using Ecke.Tatoeba #12275180 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11842593 by sundown
- In die Ecke damit!Put them in the corner.This sentence illustrates the idiom used to tell someone to put something away using Ecke.Tatoeba #8730945 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8730213 by maaster
- Gleich um die Ecke.Just round the corner.This sentence is useful for describing something being just round the corner using Ecke.Tatoeba #440115 by Espi, translation #1349964 by sacredceltic
- Die Bäckerei befindet sich an der Ecke der Hauptstraße.The bakery is located at the corner of the main street.
- Bitte biegen Sie an der nächsten Straßenecke links ab.Please turn left at the next street corner.
- Lass uns an die Ecke gehen und einen Kaffee trinken.Let's go to the corner and have a coffee.
- Hinter dem Haus gibt es einen kleinen Eckladen.There is a small corner shop behind the house.
- 179 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Laura are looking for a lamp in a room.
- MaximilianDie Lampe steht in der Ecke.The lamp is in the corner.
- LauraSiehst du die Ecke dort?Do you see the corner over there?
- MaximilianJa, ich sehe die Ecke.Yes, I see the corner.
- LauraStell sie bitte in die Ecke.Please put it in the corner.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “corner” translations and entries Ecke, Winkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ecke, Winkel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
