01
der Absatz
heel
The raised part on the sole of a shoe under the heel of the foot.
example
Mir ist gestern der Absatz von meinem Stiefel abgebrochen.
Yesterday the heel broke off my boot.
der Absatz
heel / paragraph / sales
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Connection to 'absetzen'
All meanings of 'Absatz' (heel/paragraph/sales) are derived from the verb 'absetzen' (to set down/apart). A text paragraph is 'set apart' from the rest, the shoe heel is where the foot 'sets down,' and product sales are products that are 'abgesetzt' (sold) to customers.
EXAMPLE
Bitte setzen Sie nach diesem Satz einen neuen Absatz.
Please start a new paragraph after this sentence.
Context is everything
Since this word has several meanings, context is crucial. Pay attention to signal words: 'Schuh' (shoe/heel), 'Text' (text) or 'lesen' (to read) for paragraph, 'Firma' (company) or 'Verkauf' (sales) for sales, and 'Treppe' (stairs) for stair landing.
EXAMPLE
Lies bitte den letzten Absatz auf Seite fünf.
Please read the last paragraph on page five.
In an economic context
In business language, 'Absatz' (sales) is a central term for the quantity sold. Typical phrases are 'den Absatz steigern' (to increase sales), 'ein hoher Absatz' (high sales), or 'die Absatzzahlen analysieren' (to analyze sales figures).
EXAMPLE
Die Marketingkampagne hat den Absatz deutlich gesteigert.
The marketing campaign significantly increased sales.
Typical collocations (shoes)
When talking about shoes, 'Absatz' (heel) is often combined with adjectives like 'hoch' (high), 'flach' (flat), or 'breit' (wide). A common situation is that 'ein Absatz abbricht' (a heel breaks off).
EXAMPLE
Sie trägt am liebsten Schuhe mit hohen Absätzen.
She prefers wearing shoes with high heels.
Compare with
Absatz vs Artikel
article
'der Artikel' and 'der Absatz' can both be parts of a formal text, for example in a law or contract. 'Artikel' is usually a larger, clearly numbered unit in important texts such as contracts or constitutions. 'Absatz' is often a smaller part within a text or article and is separated by a new line or numbering. Learners confuse the words because both can appear in legal texts. A practical tip: 'Artikel' is more like the larger unit, while 'Absatz' is more like the smaller section of text within it.
Absatz
Im zweiten Absatz steht, dass die Kündigung schriftlich erfolgen muss.
The second paragraph says that the termination must be made in writing.
Artikel
Nach der Arbeit hat ihr Kollege den Artikel im Vertrag noch einmal gelesen.
After work, her colleague read the article in the contract once more.
In real life
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