der Batzen
wad
Colloquial term for a large, often unexpectedly high sum of money.
EXAMPLE
Das neue Auto hat einen ganzen Batzen Geld gekostet.
The new car cost a whole wad of money.
der Batzen
wad / lump
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
der Batzen
lump
A large, irregularly shaped lump or chunk of a soft or moldable substance.
EXAMPLE
Er nahm einen großen Batzen Lehm und formte daraus eine Figur.
He took a large lump of clay and shaped it into a figure.
der Batzen
Batzen coin
A historical term for an old coin that was common especially in southern Germany and Switzerland.
EXAMPLE
Im Museum sahen wir eine Sammlung alter Münzen, darunter auch einen Batzen aus dem 16. Jahrhundert.
In the museum, we saw a collection of old coins, including a Batzen coin from the 16th century.
Usage tips
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether 'Batzen' means money or a lump of material. If it is about costs, prices, or finances, money is meant. In connection with moldable materials such as dough or clay, it means a lump.
EXAMPLE
Für die Reparatur musste ich einen Batzen Geld bezahlen.
I had to pay a wad of money for the repair.
Register: colloquial
The use of 'Batzen' for a large sum of money is colloquial. In formal texts or conversations, people are less likely to use the word.
EXAMPLE
Wow, die neue Kamera kostet ja einen ganz schönen Batzen!
Wow, that new camera costs quite a wad!
Typical collocations
The fixed phrase 'ein Batzen Geld' (a wad of money) is very common. You can also say that something 'einen Batzen kostet' (costs a wad) or is 'ein ordentlicher Batzen' (quite a sum).
EXAMPLE
Sein Lottogewinn war ein ordentlicher Batzen Geld.
His lottery win was quite a wad of money.
Typical collocations
In this meaning, 'Batzen' often appears together with the name of a material. Typical phrases are 'ein Batzen Lehm' (a lump of loam/clay), 'ein Batzen Ton' (a lump of clay), or 'ein Batzen Teig' (a lump of dough).
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder warfen große Batzen Schnee gegeneinander.
The children threw large lumps of snow at each other.
Historical context
The meaning as a coin is purely historical. You will find this word in texts about the history of money or in museums, but not in modern payment transactions.
EXAMPLE
Der ausgestellte Batzen stammt aus dem alten Bern.
The displayed Batzen coin comes from old Bern.
Compare with
Batzen vs Haufen
pile / bunch
Haufen can colloquially refer to a large amount of money and focuses more on the accumulated amount. Batzen is used especially for a single, often unexpectedly large sum of money. Haufen works for money that has been saved, while Batzen works for a large single amount.
Batzen
Für sein altes Auto bekam er einen Batzen Geld.
He got a wad of money for his old car.
Haufen
Nach vielen Jahren hatte sie einen Haufen Geld gespart.
After many years, she had saved a lot of money.
In real life
Loading video examples...