der Kuchen
cake
A sweet baked good made from dough or a mixture and baked in the oven, often with fruit, cream, or chocolate.
EXAMPLE
Zum Kaffee gibt es heute frischen Apfelkuchen.
Today there is fresh apple cake with coffee.
der Kuchen
cake
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Meanings
der Kuchen
share
In a figurative sense, something that is divided up or distributed, such as money, power, or market share.
EXAMPLE
Die verschiedenen Abteilungen stritten sich darum, wer das größte Stück vom Kuchen bekommt.
The different departments argued about who would get the biggest piece of the cake.
Usage tips
False friend
Careful: 'Der Kuchen' sounds like the English word 'kitchen', but it means 'cake'. The room where you cook is called 'die Küche' (kitchen) in German. This is a very common mistake.
EXAMPLE
Meine Oma backt den besten Kuchen der Welt.
My grandma bakes the best cake in the world.
Cultural context
The expression 'Kaffee und Kuchen' (coffee and cake) describes a traditional meal or social gathering in the afternoon in Germany, where people typically drink coffee and eat cake.
EXAMPLE
Am Sonntag treffen wir uns bei meinen Eltern zu Kaffee und Kuchen.
On Sunday, we're meeting at my parents' place for coffee and cake.
Fixed expression
The figurative meaning is usually used in the expression 'ein Stück vom Kuchen abbekommen' (or 'wollen') (to get/want a piece of the cake). This means to receive a share of something valuable, such as money, success, or power.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem großen Projekt wollen natürlich alle Firmen ein Stück vom Kuchen abbekommen.
Of course, all the companies want to get a piece of the cake in the big project.
Compare with
Kuchen vs Torte
awesome
Kuchen refers to a sweet baked good in the meanings given here. Torte, by contrast, is described here only as a colloquial expression of enthusiasm, not as a term for a baked good. Therefore, Kuchen fits ordering something at a bakery, while torte in this meaning expresses a positive reaction.
Kuchen
Beim Bäcker bestellte Nina einen Kuchen für die Feier.
Nina ordered a cake at the bakery for the celebration.
Torte
Als Nina von der geplanten Feier hörte, sagte sie begeistert: „Das ist torte!“
When Nina heard about the planned celebration, she said enthusiastically, “That’s torte!”
In real life
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