der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Stamm
the apple doesn't fall far from the tree (children resemble their parents)
Origin
The exact origin is unknown; related images exist in Latin ('malus mala mala' – a bad apple tree bears bad apples) and in many languages. In German the proverb is attested in collections from the late 18th century; the image: the apple lands close to the trunk.
Building blocks
Words in this expression
der Apfel· applegenauso· just asder Stamm· trunkstur· stubbornder Vater· fathervom· from theweit· far
Grammar that uses this word
- Irregular verbs: e → i (essen, geben, sprechen)Unregelmäßige Verben: e → i (essen, geben, sprechen)
- Definite article 'der' (the, masculine, nominative)Bestimmter Artikel 'der' (maskulin, Nominativ)
- Indefinite article 'ein' (a/an, masculine, nominative)Unbestimmter Artikel 'ein' (maskulin, Nominativ)
- Definite article 'den' (the, masculine, accusative)Bestimmter Artikel 'den' (maskulin, Akkusativ)
- Irregular verbs: a → ä (fahren, schlafen)Unregelmäßige Verben: a → ä (fahren, schlafen)
- Preposition 'gegen' (against, accusative)Präposition 'gegen' (Akkusativ)
Examples
Er ist wie sein — der fällt nicht .
He's just as stubborn as his father — the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.