einen Zahn zulegen
To speed up
بهطور تحتاللفظی: To add a tooth
Use this phrase to encourage someone to speed up in a casual, vivid, and slightly urgent way.
در ۱۵ ثانیه
- Used to tell someone to hurry up or increase their speed.
- Originated from adjusting cooking pots over medieval fires.
- Common in casual conversation, sports, and workplace productivity.
- Equivalent to the English phrase 'step on it'.
معنی
This phrase is used when you need someone to hurry up or move faster. It’s like telling a friend to 'step on it' or 'kick it into high gear' because you're running late.
مثالهای کلیدی
3 از 6Running late for a train with a friend
Komm schon, wir müssen einen Zahn zulegen, sonst verpassen wir die Bahn!
Come on, we need to step on it, otherwise we'll miss the train!
A boss encouraging the team before a deadline
Wir müssen beim Projekt einen Zahn zulegen, damit wir am Freitag fertig sind.
We need to pick up the pace on the project so we're finished by Friday.
Texting a friend who is still at home
Leg mal einen Zahn zu! Wir warten alle im Restaurant auf dich.
Hurry it up! We're all waiting for you at the restaurant.
زمینه فرهنگی
The phrase originates from medieval kitchens where cooking pots hung on notched hooks called 'Kesselhaken.' Lowering the pot by one notch (a 'tooth') brought it closer to the fire, speeding up the cooking process. It became widely popular as a general metaphor for speed during the industrial age.
The 'Mal' Magic
Adding the word `mal` (Leg *mal* einen Zahn zu) makes the command sound much friendlier and less like a military order.
The Medieval Kitchen
Native speakers might not even know the 'pot hook' origin! Mentioning it makes you sound like a German history buff.
در ۱۵ ثانیه
- Used to tell someone to hurry up or increase their speed.
- Originated from adjusting cooking pots over medieval fires.
- Common in casual conversation, sports, and workplace productivity.
- Equivalent to the English phrase 'step on it'.
What It Means
Imagine you are cooking over an open fire in the Middle Ages. You need the pot to boil faster. You move the pot one notch (or 'tooth') lower on the hanger. This brings it closer to the flames. That is exactly what einen Zahn zulegen means. You are increasing the intensity to get results faster. Today, it simply means to accelerate or work more quickly. It is a very common way to say 'hurry up' without being overly aggressive.
How To Use It
You use this phrase as a verb construction. The verb zulegen changes based on who you are talking to. If you are telling a group of friends to hurry, you say Legt mal einen Zahn zu!. If you are talking about yourself, you might say Ich muss einen Zahn zulegen. It works perfectly for physical speed, like walking or driving. It also works for productivity, like finishing a report before a deadline. Just remember that Zahn stays singular here.
When To Use It
Use this when there is a clear sense of urgency. You are at a train station and the doors are closing? Use it. You are in a restaurant and your friend is eating too slowly? Use it. It’s great for texting when someone is taking too long to get ready. It feels active and energetic. It’s a favorite for sports coaches or bosses who have a friendly relationship with their team. It turns a boring 'hurry up' into a vivid image.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid this in very stiff, formal environments. Do not say this to your CEO during your first week. It might sound a bit too bossy or informal. Also, don't use it for things that require slow, careful precision. You wouldn't tell a surgeon to einen Zahn zulegen mid-operation. That would be terrifying. It implies a bit of a 'rush,' so use it only when speed is more important than perfection.
Cultural Background
This idiom is a piece of living history. It dates back to the days of the 'Kesselhaken' (pot hooks) in large fireplaces. These hooks had teeth to adjust the height of the cooking pot. Adding a 'tooth' meant lowering the pot into the heat. Germans love efficiency, and this phrase proves that even their ancestors were looking for ways to speed things up. It’s a deeply rooted expression that every native speaker knows from childhood.
Common Variations
You might hear people say einen Zahn drauflegen instead. This means the exact same thing. Both versions are interchangeable. Sometimes people just say Zack, Zack! if they are in a real rush. But einen Zahn zulegen is the more 'classic' way to express urgency. It’s less rude than just shouting 'Schneller!' (Faster!). It adds a bit of metaphorical flavor to the request.
نکات کاربردی
The phrase is firmly in the informal category. It is most frequently used in the imperative form (commands) or with modal verbs like 'müssen'. It is safe for friends, family, and close colleagues.
The 'Mal' Magic
Adding the word `mal` (Leg *mal* einen Zahn zu) makes the command sound much friendlier and less like a military order.
The Medieval Kitchen
Native speakers might not even know the 'pot hook' origin! Mentioning it makes you sound like a German history buff.
Singular Only
Even if you want to go *really* fast, never say 'zwei Zähne.' The idiom only works with one tooth!
مثالها
6Komm schon, wir müssen einen Zahn zulegen, sonst verpassen wir die Bahn!
Come on, we need to step on it, otherwise we'll miss the train!
A classic use for physical speed while walking.
Wir müssen beim Projekt einen Zahn zulegen, damit wir am Freitag fertig sind.
We need to pick up the pace on the project so we're finished by Friday.
Used here for work productivity rather than physical movement.
Leg mal einen Zahn zu! Wir warten alle im Restaurant auf dich.
Hurry it up! We're all waiting for you at the restaurant.
The imperative form 'Leg mal...' is very common in texts.
Der Läufer muss jetzt aber mal einen Zahn zulegen, wenn er gewinnen will.
The runner really needs to kick it into gear if he wants to win.
Commonly used in sports commentary or observation.
Oh je, schon so spät? Ich muss jetzt echt einen Zahn zulegen.
Oh dear, is it that late? I really need to get a move on.
Used reflexively to talk about one's own pace.
Auf der Autobahn dürfen Sie ruhig einen Zahn zulegen.
On the highway, you can certainly speed up a bit.
A polite but firm instruction to increase speed.
خودت رو بسنج
Choose the correct verb form for a group of friends.
Leute, wir sind spät dran! ___ mal einen Zahn zu!
Since you are addressing 'Leute' (people/friends), you use the informal plural imperative 'Legt'.
Complete the idiom with the correct noun.
Wenn wir pünktlich sein wollen, müssen wir einen ___ zulegen.
The idiom specifically uses 'Zahn' (tooth), referring to the notches on a medieval pot hook.
🎉 امتیاز: /2
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Formality of 'einen Zahn zulegen'
Very casual, like 'Gib Gas!'
Gib Gas, Alter!
Perfect for friends and family.
Leg mal einen Zahn zu!
Acceptable in relaxed work settings.
Wir müssen einen Zahn zulegen.
Too casual for a gala or court.
Beeilen Sie sich bitte.
Where to use the phrase
At the Office
Meeting a deadline.
In Traffic
Driving or walking faster.
Cooking
Getting dinner ready faster.
Sports
During a final sprint.
سوالات متداول
10 سوالNo, it refers to the 'teeth' or notches on a metal hook used in old fireplaces. You aren't adding a physical tooth to anything!
Only if you have a casual relationship. In a very formal office, it's better to use sich beeilen or das Tempo erhöhen.
It can be if shouted, but generally, it's seen as a colorful, motivating way to ask for speed. Adding bitte or mal softens it.
There is no functional difference. Einen Zahn drauflegen is a common regional variation that means the exact same thing.
Yes! You can say Mein Laptop muss mal einen Zahn zulegen, though it's a bit personified and humorous.
Yes, it is a standard idiom understood from Hamburg to Munich.
You would say: Ich muss einen Zahn zulegen.
Absolutely! If you want to reach B1 faster, you could say: Ich muss beim Deutschlernen einen Zahn zulegen.
Using the wrong preposition or pluralizing 'Zahn.' It is always einen Zahn zulegen.
Not with 'Zahn.' To slow down, you'd say einen Gang zurückschalten (to downshift a gear).
عبارات مرتبط
Gib Gas!
Step on the gas / Hurry up (slangy)
Mach hinne!
Hurry up / Get it done (very informal/regional)
Sich beeilen
To hurry (neutral/standard)
Dalli, dalli!
Chop chop! / Quick! (old-fashioned but fun)
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