to fold
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to fold
To bring a flat, flexible material such as paper or fabric into a new shape or make it smaller by bending it.
Er faltete den Brief sorgfältig und steckte ihn in den Umschlag.
He carefully folded the letter and put it into the envelope.
to fold one's hands
To interlace or press the hands together, often as a gesture of prayer or reflection.
Zum Beten faltete sie die Hände.
She folded her hands to pray.
to furrow one's brow
To create wrinkles on the forehead by tensing the facial muscles, usually as a sign of concentration, worry, or disapproval.
Als er die schlechte Nachricht hörte, faltete er besorgt die Stirn.
When he heard the bad news, he furrowed his brow with concern.
The verb 'falten' (to fold) is the action that leads to the noun 'die Falte' (a crease or a wrinkle). So when you fold something, you create folds or creases.
Nach dem Waschen lege ich die Wäsche nicht sofort in den Schrank, ich muss sie erst falten.
After washing, I don't put the laundry straight into the closet; I have to fold it first.
'Falten' (to fold) is the base for other verbs. 'Zusammenfalten' means to fold something compactly, while 'entfalten' means the opposite, namely to open up something that has been folded.
Kannst du mir helfen, das große Laken zusammenzufalten?
Can you help me fold up the large sheet?
In everyday life, 'falten' (to fold) is often used with materials such as paper, fabric, or clothing. Typical combinations are 'Wäsche falten' (to fold laundry), 'einen Plan falten' (to fold a map), or 'eine Serviette falten' (to fold a napkin).
Für das Origami-Projekt müssen wir das Papier sehr genau falten.
For the origami project, we have to fold the paper very precisely.
The expression 'die Hände falten' (to fold one's hands) is a fixed combination. It describes a typical gesture often associated with praying, thinking, or quiet expectation.
Das Kind saß still da und hatte die Hände gefaltet.
The child sat there quietly with their hands folded.
to work / to fold
Klappen and falten can both describe making something smaller by folding it over. Klappen is used especially for the movement of a movable part, such as part of a piece of furniture. Falten is used especially for flexible material such as paper or fabric, which takes on a new shape through bending and creasing.
Sie faltet das Tischtuch zusammen, um Platz zu sparen.
She folds up the tablecloth to save space.
Sie klappt die bewegliche Tischplatte nach unten, um Platz zu sparen.
She folds the movable tabletop down to save space.
