to cover / clear
Loading your saved state.
to cover
To cover something with an object, such as a blanket or lid, in order to protect or hide it.
Bitte deck die Essensreste ab, bevor du sie in den Kühlschrank stellst.
Please cover the leftovers before you put them in the fridge.
to clear the table
To remove the dishes, cutlery, and glasses from the table after a meal.
Wer hilft mir, den Tisch abzudecken?
Who will help me clear the table?
to cover
To deal with or include an area, topic, or spectrum in terms of content.
Der Vortrag wird alle wichtigen Aspekte des Themas abdecken.
The lecture will cover all important aspects of the topic.
to cover
To compensate for or secure a financial risk or costs through insurance or reserves.
Die Versicherung deckt Schäden durch Feuer und Wasser ab.
The insurance covers damage caused by fire and water.
to strip a roof
To remove the roof of a building, for example for repairs or demolition.
Für die Sanierung des Dachstuhls mussten die Handwerker das ganze Dach abdecken.
For the renovation of the roof structure, the workers had to strip the entire roof.
'Abdecken' is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix 'ab-' goes at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Ich decke den Kuchen für später ab.
I'll cover the cake for later.
The exact meaning of 'abdecken' depends strongly on the object. You can 'abdecken' a pot (cover it), a table (clear it), a topic (cover/deal with it), or costs (cover/pay them).
Kannst du bitte den Tisch abdecken, während ich spüle?
Can you please clear the table while I wash the dishes?
The phrase 'den Tisch abdecken' means to remove the used dishes from the table after eating. It is an everyday household activity.
Nach dem Abendessen müssen die Kinder immer den Tisch abdecken.
After dinner, the children always have to clear the table.
In a figurative, abstract sense, 'abdecken' is used for topics, areas, or requirements. It then means 'umfassen' (to include) or 'behandeln' (to deal with/cover).
Der Kurs deckt die Grundlagen der Programmierung ab.
The course covers the basics of programming.
Careful: 'Abdecken' can have opposite meanings. You can 'Essen abdecken' (cover food, put a cover on it), but also 'ein Dach abdecken' (strip a roof, remove the tiles). The context makes the difference clear.
Decke bitte den Salat ab, damit er frisch bleibt.
Please cover the salad so it stays fresh.
to treat / to deal with
In the context of a course, behandeln and abdecken can both refer to the same subject area. Behandeln emphasizes engaging with the content of the topic, while abdecken focuses more on ensuring that the necessary area is covered as a whole. Therefore, use abdecken especially for course plans, requirements, or a broad range of topics.
Der Kurs deckt die wichtigsten Ursachen des Klimawandels vollständig ab.
The course fully covers the most important causes of climate change.
Im Seminar behandeln wir die Ursachen des Klimawandels anhand mehrerer Texte.
In the seminar, we discuss the causes of climate change using several texts.
