01
glatt
smooth / slippery
Describes a surface that is even, not rough, and often slippery.
example
Sei vorsichtig, die Straße ist nach dem Eisregen spiegelglatt.
Be careful, the road is like glass after the freezing rain.
glatt
smooth / slippery
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
'Glatt' sounds like the English word 'glad', but it has a completely different meaning. 'Glatt' means 'smooth' or 'slippery', while 'glad' in German is 'froh'.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin froh, dich zu sehen.
I’m glad to see you.
Word family
The word family of 'glatt' (smooth/slippery) includes the verb 'glätten' (to smooth something out) and the noun 'die Glätte' (smoothness/slipperiness, often in connection with ice on the road).
EXAMPLE
Sie muss ihr Hemd für die Arbeit noch glätten.
She still has to iron her shirt for work.
Context clue: surfaces
In its literal meaning, 'glatt' (smooth/slippery) always describes a physical surface. Typical combinations are 'glatte Haut' (smooth skin), 'glattes Holz' (smooth wood), or 'glattes Papier' (smooth paper).
EXAMPLE
Der Tisch hat eine sehr glatte Oberfläche.
The table has a very smooth surface.
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning 'without problems', 'glatt' (smoothly) is often combined with verbs that describe a process. Fixed expressions are 'glatt laufen' (to run smoothly), 'glatt gehen' (to go smoothly), or 'glatt verlaufen' (to proceed smoothly).
EXAMPLE
Ich hoffe, bei der Prüfung läuft alles glatt.
I hope everything goes smoothly in the exam.
Intensifying adverb
Colloquially, 'glatt' (downright) is used as an adverb to intensify a statement, often with something surprising or negative. It then means something like 'simply', 'actually', or 'completely'.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe unseren Jahrestag glatt vergessen!
I completely forgot our anniversary!
With round amounts
When 'glatt' (flat) comes directly before an amount of money or a number, it means that it is an exact, round amount with no decimal places.
EXAMPLE
Das Auto hat glatt 10.000 Euro gekostet.
The car cost a flat 10,000 euros.
Compare with
glatt vs eben
just / exactly
'eben' and 'glatt' can both intensify a statement. In this use, 'eben' means more like 'exactly' or 'really that way' and confirms something. 'glatt' is more colloquial and makes a statement stronger, often with a sense of surprise or clear judgment. The words can be confused because neither is being used with its normal basic meaning. 'eben' fits better when you are confirming something precisely. 'glatt' fits better when something happens unexpectedly or especially clearly.
glatt
Lena hat den Termin am Morgen glatt vergessen.
Lena completely forgot the appointment in the morning.
eben
Das ist eben der Punkt, den ich erklären wollte.
That is exactly the point I wanted to explain.
In real life
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