der Flecken
village
A small settlement that is not a town or city, usually with a rural character.
EXAMPLE
Der Flecken liegt am Fuß des Berges.
The village lies at the foot of the mountain.
der Flecken
village / spot / stain
der Flecken, die Flecken
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Meanings
der Flecken
spot / stain
A small area that stands out from its surroundings because of dirt or a different color, especially on clothing or a surface.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem weißen Hemd ist ein dunkler Flecken.
There is a dark stain on the white shirt.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Flecken, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Flecken |
| genitive | des Fleckens |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Flecken | die Flecken |
| accusative | den Flecken | die Flecken |
| dative | dem Flecken | den Flecken |
| genitive | des Fleckens | der Flecken |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Context clue
With 'der Flecken' (the village / spot / stain), the context indicates the meaning: references to places, landscapes, or residents point to a small settlement; words such as 'Hemd' (shirt), 'Teppich' (carpet), or 'entfernen' (to remove) point to a dirty spot.
EXAMPLE
Der Flecken liegt zwischen zwei bewaldeten Hügeln.
The village lies between two wooded hills.
Mit diesem Mittel lässt sich der Flecken auf dem Teppich entfernen.
This product can remove the stain from the carpet.
Register and region
The meaning 'small settlement' often sounds historical or regional today and occurs especially in place names and historical descriptions.
EXAMPLE
Der alte Flecken entwickelte sich später zu einem wichtigen Handelsort.
The old village later developed into an important trading center.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'dirty spot', 'Flecken' (spot / stain) often occurs with verbs such as 'machen' (to make), 'entfernen' (to remove), 'entdecken' (to discover), or 'hinterlassen' (to leave behind).
EXAMPLE
Auf der Tischdecke hat das Glas einen dunklen Flecken hinterlassen.
The glass left a dark stain on the tablecloth.
In real life
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