01
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
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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 Ahnung
hunch / idea
'die Ahnung' and 'der Duft' can both refer to something that you only sense slightly or perceive indistinctly. 'die Ahnung' is an inner feeling or a hunch: you do not know something for sure, but you have a feeling about it. 'der Duft' normally means a pleasant smell. In a figurative sense, 'ein Duft von etwas' can mean a special atmosphere or just a slight hint of something. The words can be confused when 'Duft' is not meant literally. In everyday language, 'Ahnung' is almost always more natural for a feeling or a hunch. 'Duft' is more suitable in poetic or figurative language.
Duft
Nach dem Gespräch lag ein Duft von Abschied in der Luft.
After the conversation, there was an air of farewell.
Ahnung
Lisa hatte eine Ahnung, dass die Prüfung schwerer wird als erwartet.
Lisa had a hunch that the exam would be harder than expected.
In real life
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