Stuka
The English phrase "stuka" refers to the German nickname Stuka.
Stuka is a nickname used to describe the Junkers Ju 87, a German dive bomber used during World War II.
What does it mean word for word?
The term Stuka is a clipping of the word Sturzkampfflugzeug, which literally means "dive combat aircraft".
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of this clipped noun is Stukas.
Did you know?
- Although usually masculine because it comes from Sturzkampfbomber, Stuka is sometimes treated as feminine in German. This happens because ships and airplanes are traditionally feminine and nouns ending in -a often follow that pattern.
- While Stuka is a clipped word, German allows for the creation of complex compound nouns. A 'dive-bomber pilot' would be a Stukapilot, blending the nickname directly into a new noun.
- The term is an example of 'functional shortening' used to simplify the extremely long and cumbersome German compound words used in military-technical contexts.
Examples in context
- Hast du schon einmal eine Stuka aus der Nähe gesehen?Have you ever seen a Stuka up close?
- Das Sturzkampfflugzeug war ein entscheidender Bestandteil der deutschen Luftwaffe.The dive bomber was a crucial component of the German Luftwaffe.
- Die Piloten flogen eine Stuka.The pilots flew a Stuka.
- Ein Stuka ist ein Sturzkampfflugzeug.A Stuka is a dive bomber.
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are looking at a history book in a library.
- JuliaWas ist das für ein Flugzeug?What kind of plane is that?
- FelixDas ist eine Stuka.That is a Stuka.
- JuliaWar die Stuka sehr schnell?Was the Stuka very fast?
- FelixNein, sie war eher langsam.No, it was rather slow.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Stuka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
