noun
pliers, tongs
B1
Zange (die) means pliers or tongs, a hand tool for gripping or cutting. Common plural is Zangen. It's a regular feminine noun (die Zange, die Zangen) with standard declension. Not a verb; no special prepositions. Common in hardware and repair talk.
Examples
Kannst du mir die Zange geben?
Can you pass me the pliers?
Ich brauche eine Zange.
I need a pair of pliers.
Mit der Zange nehme ich die heiße Pfanne vom Herd.
I use tongs to take the hot pan off the stove.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine a pair of pliers forming the shape of the letter Z grabbing something.
Sounds a bit like 'sang' with a Z — picture someone who 'sang' while using pliers.
Die Zange — imagine a lady (die) holding a pair of pliers: 'die' = female anchor.
Notes
A Zange can mean pliers or tongs depending on context. Plural: Zangen. Commonly used for gripping, bending or lifting hot items.