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
der Absatz
paragraph
A section in a text, often marked by a new line or numbering, as in a book or a legal text.
EXAMPLE
Die wichtigste Information steht im zweiten Absatz des Artikels.
The most important information is in the second paragraph of the article.
der Absatz
sales
The amount of goods or services sold within a particular period of time.
EXAMPLE
Der Absatz von Smartphones ist in diesem Quartal leicht zurückgegangen.
Sales of smartphones have declined slightly this quarter.
der Absatz
landing
A flat area between two flights of stairs in a stairwell.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Absatz vor unserer Wohnungstür steht eine große Pflanze.
There is a large plant on the landing in front of our apartment door.
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 Abschnitt
section
Abschnitt and Absatz can both refer to a thematically connected part of a text. Absatz is primarily a typographical unit, usually made visible by starting a new line; Abschnitt refers more to the content-based or larger structure. When talking about the layout of a page, Absatz is the better choice; for a part of the content, Abschnitt is more appropriate.
Absatz
Der Absatz über erneuerbare Energien beginnt nach einer neuen Zeile.
The paragraph on renewable energy begins on a new line.
Abschnitt
Der Abschnitt über erneuerbare Energien umfasst im Bericht mehrere Absätze.
The section on renewable energy covers several paragraphs in the report.
In real life
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