'eng' – narrow, tight, or close
The adjective 'eng' primarily means narrow, tight, or close in a physical or figurative sense. It can describe spaces, relationships, or even restrictions. For example:
Ein enger Tunnel – A narrow tunnel
Die Hose ist mir zu eng – The pants are too tight for me
Wir haben eine enge Freundschaft – We have a close friendship
Die Gassen in der Altstadt sind sehr eng – The alleys in the old town are very narrow
[die Gasse – alley, narrow street; plural form - die Gassen]
'streng' – strict or harsh
The adjective 'streng' is used when talking about rules, discipline, or strong smells. It translates to strict, rigorous, or severe. It can describe a person, an environment, or even sensory impressions. For Example:
Mein Lehrer ist sehr streng – My teacher is very strict
Meine Eltern haben mich streng erzogen – My parents raised me strictly
Hier gelten strenge Regeln – Strict rules apply here
Der Käse hat einen strengen Geruch – The cheese has a strong smell
Now let's have some fun examples using both 'eng' and 'streng' in single sentences:
Mein strenger Vater hat mir verboten, enge Jeans zu tragen! - My strict father forbade me from wearing tight jeans!
Der Lehrer ist so streng, dass selbst die Luft im Klassenzimmer eng wird! - The teacher is so strict that even the air in the classroom feels tight!
Meine Diät ist so streng, dass selbst meine Hose langsam enger wird! - My diet is so strict that even my pants are getting tighter!
Die Party war so voll, dass wir eng an eng tanzen mussten – aber zum Glück war der Türsteher nicht zu streng! - The party was so crowded that we had to dance really close together – but luckily, the doorman wasn’t too strict!
In meiner Familie gibt es strenge Regeln, aber eine enge Bindung zwischen uns macht alles leichter - In my family, there are strict rules, but a close bond between us makes everything easier
[die Bindung – bond, linking, binding; plural form - die Bindungen]
Der Fahrlehrer ist so streng, dass ich vor Angst das Lenkrad zu eng halte! - The driving instructor is so strict that I grip the steering wheel too tightly out of fear!
Der Fitnesscoach ist so streng, dass meine Muskeln sich nach dem Training enger anfühlen als meine Sporthose! - The fitness coach is so strict that my muscles feel tighter than my sport pants after training!
[sich anfühlen – to feel something oneself]
These sentences should help you remember the difference between 'eng' (tight, narrow, close) and 'streng' (strict, harsh) in a fun and practical way!
Have fun Guys
