das Blatt
leaf
The usually green, flat part of a plant that grows from the stem or branch and is important for photosynthesis.
EXAMPLE
Im Herbst verfärbt sich das Blatt des Ahorns rot.
In autumn, the maple leaf turns red.
das Blatt
leaf / sheet
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Meanings
das Blatt
sheet
A single thin piece of paper, for example from a pad, notebook, or printer.
EXAMPLE
Bitte schreiben Sie Ihre Antwort auf ein leeres Blatt Papier.
Please write your answer on a blank sheet of paper.
das Blatt
paper
A newspaper or magazine.
EXAMPLE
Er liest jeden Morgen das lokale Blatt, um informiert zu sein.
He reads the local paper every morning to stay informed.
das Blatt
card / hand
A single card in a card game.
EXAMPLE
Bei diesem Stich gewinnt das höchste Blatt.
In this trick, the highest card wins.
das Blatt wendet sich
the tide turns
An idiom meaning that a situation changes fundamentally and often unexpectedly.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem überraschenden Tor in der letzten Minute hat sich das Blatt komplett gewendet.
After the surprising goal in the last minute, the tide completely turned.
Usage tips
Shared idea
The different meanings of 'Blatt' (leaf/sheet) have a shared basic idea: a thin, flat object. This concept connects the leaf of a plant with a sheet of paper.
EXAMPLE
Sie legte ein getrocknetes Blatt als Lesezeichen in ihr Buch.
She placed a dried leaf in her book as a bookmark.
Context clue
To distinguish the most common meanings, pay attention to the context. Words like 'Baum' (tree), 'Ast' (branch), or 'Herbst' (autumn) point to a plant leaf. Words like 'schreiben' (to write), 'drucken' (to print), or 'Papier' (paper) point to a piece of paper.
EXAMPLE
Im Frühling bekommen die Bäume wieder grüne Blätter.
In spring, the trees get green leaves again.
Colloquial for newspaper
When 'Blatt' (paper) means a newspaper or magazine, the usage is often slightly colloquial or traditional. You often hear it in combinations like 'Lokalblatt' (local paper) or 'Klatschblatt' (gossip rag).
EXAMPLE
Dieses Blatt ist für seine reißerischen Schlagzeilen bekannt.
This paper is known for its sensational headlines.
In card games
In the context of card games, 'das Blatt' (the hand) refers to the cards a player is holding. A typical expression is 'ein gutes Blatt haben' (to have a good hand), which means that you have good chances of winning.
EXAMPLE
Obwohl er ein schlechtes Blatt hatte, konnte er das Spiel gewinnen.
Although he had a bad hand, he was able to win the game.
Fixed idiom
The idiom 'das Blatt wendet sich' (the tide turns) means that a situation changes fundamentally and often unexpectedly. The verb 'sich wenden' (to turn) is a fixed part of this expression.
EXAMPLE
Unsere Mannschaft lag zurück, aber in der zweiten Halbzeit wendete sich das Blatt.
Our team was behind, but in the second half the tide turned.
Compare with
Blatt vs Seite
page / side
In a book, Seite and Blatt can refer to the same printed material, but they focus on different things. Seite refers to a single printed surface, while Blatt refers to the entire piece of paper with its two sides. Use Seite when reading and Blatt when removing or turning over a sheet.
Blatt
Für die Aufgabe nahm ich ein neues Blatt aus meinem Heft.
I took a new sheet from my notebook for the exercise.
Seite
Auf der Seite im Buch fand ich die Erklärung für die schwierige Aufgabe.
I found the explanation for the difficult exercise on the page in the book.
In real life
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