ballad
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ballad
A longer poem or song that tells a dramatic, historical, or legendary story.
In der Schule mussten wir Schillers Ballade „Der Handschuh“ auswendig lernen.
At school, we had to learn Schiller's ballad 'Der Handschuh' by heart.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If the sentence is about literature, poets (such as Goethe or Schiller), or school, it means the poem. If it is about music, bands, singers, or concerts, it means the slow song.
Wir analysieren im Deutschunterricht eine Ballade von Fontane.
We are analyzing a ballad by Fontane in German class.
In a literary context, a ballad is often 'analysiert' (analyzed), 'interpretiert' (interpreted), 'aufgesagt' (recited), or 'auswendig gelernt' (learned by heart).
Der Schüler musste als Strafarbeit eine Ballade auswendig lernen.
As punishment work, the student had to learn a ballad by heart.
In a musical context, a ballad is often 'gesungen' (sung), 'gespielt' (played), 'komponiert' (composed), or 'gehört' (listened to). It is often a quiet moment in a concert.
Zum Abschluss des Konzerts spielte die Band ihre berühmteste Ballade.
At the end of the concert, the band played their most famous ballad.
song
'das Lied' and 'die Ballade' can both be a piece of music with lyrics that is sung. 'Lied' is the more general word and fits many types of music, for example children's songs, folk songs, or pop songs. 'Ballade' is more specific: in literature, it often means a longer poem or song with a story. In pop music, it usually means a slow, emotional song. Learners may confuse the words because every ballad can be a song, but not every song is a ballad. If you are talking generally about sung music, 'Lied' is more natural. If you mean a narrative or especially emotional form, 'Ballade' is more precise.
Die Sängerin beendet das Konzert mit einer langsamen Ballade über verlorene Liebe.
The singer ends the concert with a slow ballad about lost love.
Am Abend singt sie ihrem Kind ein ruhiges Lied vor.
In the evening, she sings her child a quiet song.