01
das Blümchen
little flower
A small flower; the diminutive form of 'die Blume' (flower).
example
Das kleine Mädchen pflückte ein Blümchen am Wegesrand.
The little girl picked a little flower by the side of the path.
das Blümchen
little flower / floral pattern
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
Word structure: diminutive
'Blümchen' is the diminutive form of 'die Blume' (flower). The ending '-chen' causes two things: the article always becomes 'das', and the vowel of the base word often gets an umlaut (here u → ü).
EXAMPLE
Auf der Wiese wachsen viele kleine, bunte Blümchen.
Many small, colorful little flowers grow in the meadow.
Emotional meaning
The ending '-chen' not only expresses that something is small, but also gives the word an affectionate, cute, or endearing tone. It is often used when you find something sweet or charming.
EXAMPLE
„Was für ein hübsches Blümchen!“, sagte sie zu dem Kind.
'What a pretty little flower!' she said to the child.
Context clue: pattern
When 'Blümchen' describes a pattern, it often appears in compound words like 'Blümchenkleid' (floral dress) or 'Blümchentapete' (floral wallpaper). It can also be used in the plural with the preposition 'mit' (with).
EXAMPLE
Ihre Bettwäsche hat ein Muster mit kleinen Blümchen.
Her bed linen has a pattern with little flowers.
Compare with
Blümchen vs Blume
flower
'die Blume' and 'das Blümchen' both mean a plant with a flower, or the flower itself. 'Blume' is the normal word. 'Blümchen' is the diminutive form and means a small flower. It can also sound affectionate or cute. The words can be confused because they are very closely related. When speaking neutrally about flowers, use 'Blume'. When the flower is small or you find it especially cute, 'Blümchen' fits.
Blümchen
Das Kind pflückt ein gelbes Blümchen am Weg.
The child picks a yellow little flower by the path.
Blume
Auf dem Tisch steht eine rote Blume in einer kleinen Vase.
There is a red flower on the table in a small vase.
In real life
Loading video examples...