humus
der Humus
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humus
The dark, fertile upper layer of soil, made up of decomposed plant and animal matter, that supports plant growth.
Der Humus im Gartenboden speichert Wasser und versorgt die Pflanzen mit Nährstoffen.
The humus in the garden soil stores water and supplies the plants with nutrients.
fertile ground
A basis or environment in which something can develop and spread; usually used figuratively.
Armut und Perspektivlosigkeit bilden einen fruchtbaren Humus für politischen Extremismus.
Poverty and a lack of prospects create fertile ground for political extremism.
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Humus |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Humus | – |
| accusative | den Humus | – |
| dative | dem Humus | – |
| genitive | des Humus | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Words from agriculture or gardening indicate the concrete meaning of „Humus“ (humus) in soil. If abstract topics such as poverty, insecurity, or ideologies appear in the sentence, „Humus“ (fertile ground) is usually meant figuratively as a favorable basis.
Der Humus im Gemüsebeet ist nach dem Kompostieren besonders nährstoffreich.
The humus in the vegetable garden is particularly rich in nutrients after composting.
Soziale Unsicherheit kann ein Humus für radikale Bewegungen sein.
Social insecurity can provide fertile ground for radical movements.
In its meaning as a component of soil, „Humus“ (humus) is often used with verbs and adjectives from gardening and agriculture. Common expressions include „Humus aufbauen“ (to build up humus), „Humus anreichern“ (to enrich the soil with humus), and „humusreicher Boden“ (humus-rich soil).
Durch regelmäßiges Kompostieren lässt sich im Garten Humus aufbauen.
Regular composting can help build up humus in the garden.
The figurative meaning is often used with „für“ (for): Something „bildet“ (forms) or „schafft“ (creates) a „Humus“ (fertile ground) for a development. This usage is particularly common in political, social, and journalistic texts.
Ein Klima der Angst schafft einen Humus für Verschwörungstheorien.
A climate of fear creates fertile ground for conspiracy theories.
