01
die Glatze
bald head
A head on which no hair grows anymore or that has been shaved bald.
example
Er trägt seine Glatze mit viel Selbstbewusstsein.
He wears his bald head with a lot of confidence.
die Glatze
bald head / bald spot
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The word 'Glatze' (bald head) is related to the adjective 'glatt' (smooth). It describes a head that is smooth because no hair grows on it. A person with a bald head is described as 'glatzköpfig' (bald-headed).
EXAMPLE
Im Sommer ist ein glatter Kopf sehr praktisch.
In summer, a smooth head is very practical.
Typical verbs
You can say 'eine Glatze haben' (to have a bald head) as a state, or 'eine Glatze tragen' (to wear a bald head), often as a conscious choice. If someone removes their hair, you can say 'sich eine Glatze rasieren' (to shave one's head bald).
EXAMPLE
Er hat sich entschieden, eine Glatze zu tragen.
He decided to wear a bald head.
Context clue
If only a bald spot is meant, this is often made clear by additional words. Typical phrases are 'eine beginnende Glatze' (an emerging bald spot) or 'eine Glatze am Hinterkopf' (a bald spot on the back of the head).
EXAMPLE
Er macht sich Sorgen wegen seiner beginnenden Glatze.
He is worried about his emerging bald spot.
Register
Using 'Glatze' (bald head/bald spot) for a single bald spot is rather colloquial. In a more formal or medical context, one would speak of 'Haarausfall' (hair loss) or a 'kahle Stelle' (bald spot).
EXAMPLE
Er hat schon eine kleine Glatze auf dem Kopf.
He already has a small bald spot on his head.
Compare with
Glatze vs Platte
plate / record
'die Platte' and 'die Glatze' can both colloquially mean a bald spot on the head. 'Glatze' is the normal word for a bald head or a bald spot. 'Platte' is very colloquial and can sound joking or even rude. So you should be careful with it. The words can be confused because they are used similarly in casual conversations. In neutral situations, 'Glatze' is safer; 'Platte' fits more among friends or in a joking tone.
Glatze
Nach der Behandlung trägt Herr Schneider jetzt eine Glatze.
After the treatment, Mr. Schneider now has a bald head.
Platte
Unter Freunden macht Paul einen Witz über seine Platte.
Among friends, Paul makes a joke about his bald head.
In real life
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