Hebel
/ˈheːbəl/masculine
The English word "lever" is Hebel in German.
Hebel refers to a small such piece to trigger or control a mechanical device. You can also use the term Hebelwirkung to describe the physical principle of leverage.
Meaning: small such piece to trigger or control a mechanical device (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of Hebel is die Hebel.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈheːbəl/
Did you know?
- The word Hebel is a cognate of the Middle English word 'hevel', which also referred to a lifting tool.
- In German slang, einen Hebel ansetzen can sometimes imply manipulating a situation or a person behind the scenes to get a desired outcome.
- The suffix '-el' in Hebel is a common way in German to create a 'diminutive' or a specific tool name from a verb, often denoting a smaller or specialized instrument.
Examples in context
- Tom zog an einem Hebel.Tom pulled a lever.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say that someone pulled a Hebel.Tatoeba #8679314 by Melang, translation #2647887 by CK
- Ich legte den Hebel um.I pulled the lever.This sentence is useful for showing how to say that one moved or pulled the Hebel.Tatoeba #11760788 by Yorwba, translation #5851885 by CK
- Bitte ziehen Sie den Hebel langsam nach unten.Please pull the lever down slowly.
- Drehen Sie den Griff nach links, um die Tür zu öffnen.Turn the lever to the left to open the door.
- Kannst du bitte an dem Hebelchen ziehen?Can you please pull on the little lever?
- Ein Hebel ermöglicht es, etwas zu bewegenA lever allows you to move something
- Bitte drücken Sie den Hebel nach unten, um den Aufzug zu rufen.Please push the lever down to call the elevator.
- Sei vorsichtig mit dem Hebelchen, es ist empfindlich.Be careful with the little lever, it's delicate.
- den Hebel umlegenTo flip/switch the lever
- Der Hebel ist leicht zu bewegen.The lever is easy to move.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are operating a piece of machinery.
- JulianLaura, zieh bitte den Hebel nach unten.Laura, please pull the lever down.
- LauraWelchen Hebel meinst du genau?Which lever exactly do you mean?
- JulianDen roten Hebel auf der rechten Seite.The red lever on the right side.
- LauraAlles klar, ich ziehe ihn jetzt.All right, I am pulling it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lever” translations and entries Hebel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Hebel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
