01
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
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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
'die Seite' and 'das Blatt' are often connected with paper. 'Blatt' means the individual sheet of paper as an object. 'Seite' means one of the two surfaces of this sheet, or a numbered page in a book, notebook, or document. So one sheet can have two pages. Learners confuse the words because people often talk about both when reading and writing. In practice: if you mean the paper itself, use 'Blatt'. If you mean the front, the back, or a place in a book, use 'Seite'.
Blatt
Für die Übung nimmt Mehmet ein leeres Blatt aus seinem Block.
For the exercise, Mehmet takes a blank sheet from his notepad.
Seite
Er hat im Büro heute die letzte Seite des Vertrags unterschrieben.
He signed the last page of the contract at the office today.
In real life
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