01
die Karte
card
A small, usually rectangular piece of cardboard or plastic for a specific purpose (e.g., postcard, playing card, credit card).
example
Kannst du bitte mit der Karte bezahlen?
Can you please pay by card?
die Karte
card / map
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context through compounds
Because 'Karte' (card/map/menu/ticket) has so many meanings, the exact meaning is often clarified by a compound word. Pay attention to words like 'Kreditkarte' (credit card), 'Landkarte' (map), 'Speisekarte' (menu), or 'Eintrittskarte' (admission ticket).
EXAMPLE
Hast du die Eintrittskarten für das Museum schon online gekauft?
Have you already bought the admission tickets for the museum online?
Typical verbs
For cards made of plastic or paper, typical verbs are 'bezahlen' (to pay) (with a credit card), 'schreiben' (to write) (a postcard), or 'ziehen' (to draw) and 'spielen' (to play) (with playing cards).
EXAMPLE
Beim Kartenspielen hat er die beste Karte gezogen.
While playing cards, he drew the best card.
Use as a map
When 'Karte' means a map, the preposition 'auf' (on) is often used. Typical verbs are 'lesen' (to read), 'studieren' (to study), or 'nachsehen' (to check/look up).
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen auf der Karte nachsehen, wie wir zum Hotel kommen.
We have to check on the map how to get to the hotel.
In a restaurant
In a restaurant context, 'die Karte' almost always means the food or drinks menu. A typical question to the waiter is: 'Könnten wir bitte die Karte haben?' (Could we please have the menu?)
EXAMPLE
Ich habe etwas Leckeres auf der Karte entdeckt.
I discovered something delicious on the menu.
Fixed expression (success)
The idiom 'gute Karten haben' (to have good cards/chances) means that someone has good chances or prospects of success. The person who has the good chances is the subject of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Mit ihrer Erfahrung hat sie für den Job sehr gute Karten.
With her experience, she has very good chances for the job.
Fixed expression (risk)
The idiom 'alles auf eine Karte setzen' (to put everything on one card) means that you take a high risk for a single possibility. It is often used in financial or professional contexts.
EXAMPLE
Er hat seinen Job gekündigt und mit seinen Ersparnissen alles auf eine Karte gesetzt.
He quit his job and put all his eggs in one basket with his savings.
Compare with
Karte vs Plan
plan
'der Plan' and 'die Karte' can both be drawings that help with orientation. For places in a city, people often say 'Stadtplan' (city map). 'Karte' is more general for a geographic representation, for example a 'Landkarte' (map) or 'Wanderkarte' (hiking map). 'Plan' can more strongly show the exact structure of something, such as buildings or routes in a city. The words are easy to confuse because in everyday life a city map is used like a map. Also important: 'Plan' can additionally mean an intention, but 'Karte' cannot.
Karte
Im Urlaub benutzt sie eine Karte, um mit den Kindern den See zu finden.
On vacation, she uses a map to find the lake with the children.
Plan
Nach dem Unterricht sucht die Klasse auf dem Plan den schnellsten Weg zum Museum.
After class, the class looks for the fastest route to the museum on the map.
In real life
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