der Duft
scent
A pleasant smell that comes from flowers, food, perfume, or other things.
EXAMPLE
Der Duft von frisch gebackenem Kuchen erfüllte die ganze Wohnung.
The scent of freshly baked cake filled the whole apartment.
der Duft
scent
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Meanings
der Duft
hint / aura
In a figurative sense, a special atmosphere, a touch, or a hint of something.
EXAMPLE
In der alten Bibliothek lag ein Duft von Wissen und Geschichte.
In the old library, there was an aura of knowledge and history.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Duft' (the scent) is the noun related to the verb 'duften' (to smell fragrant). When something smells good, you can say it 'duftet' (smells fragrant) and that it has a pleasant 'Duft' (scent).
EXAMPLE
Die Rosen im Garten duften wunderbar.
The roses in the garden smell wonderful.
Sentence structure and usage
The source of the scent is almost always expressed with the preposition 'von' and the dative. The typical structure is: 'der Duft von etwas' (the scent of something).
EXAMPLE
Ich liebe den Duft von frisch gemähtem Gras.
I love the scent of freshly cut grass.
Context clue
You can easily distinguish the literal and figurative meanings. If 'Duft' (scent) refers to something concrete like food or flowers, it is meant literally. If it refers to something abstract like 'Abenteuer' (adventure) or 'Freiheit' (freedom), it is to be understood figuratively.
EXAMPLE
Der Duft von Lavendel wirkt beruhigend.
The scent of lavender has a calming effect.
Typical collocations
For the literal meaning, combinations with pleasantly smelling things are typical. You often hear: 'der Duft von Kaffee' (the scent of coffee), 'der Duft von Blumen' (the scent of flowers), or 'der Duft von Parfüm' (the scent of perfume).
EXAMPLE
Am Morgen weckte ihn der Duft von frischem Kaffee.
In the morning, the scent of fresh coffee woke him.
Compare with
Duft vs Blume
flower
When talking about wine, Blume and Duft can both refer to a pleasant smell. Blume is a special term in wine vocabulary and means the wine’s bouquet. Duft is the general word and also works outside a technical context.
Duft
Beim Einschenken fällt dem Gast der feine Duft des Rieslings auf.
As the wine is poured, the guest notices the Riesling’s delicate scent.
Blume
In seiner Weinbeschreibung lobt der Fachmann die feine Blume des Rieslings.
In his wine description, the expert praises the Riesling’s delicate bouquet.
In real life
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