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die Passage
passage
A specific section or part of a text, piece of music, or film.
example
Könnten Sie bitte die letzte Passage des Romans noch einmal vorlesen?
Could you please read the last passage of the novel aloud again?
die Passage
passage
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
The meaning of 'Passage' (passage) depends heavily on the topic. Pay attention to signal words: 'Buch' (book) or 'Text' (text) point to a section, 'Geschäfte' (shops) to a passageway, and 'Schiff' (ship) to a crossing.
EXAMPLE
Er las eine Passage aus seinem Lieblingsbuch vor.
He read a passage from his favorite book aloud.
Typical collocations
In the meaning of 'Abschnitt' (section), the word is often combined with the medium from which the section comes. Typical examples are 'Textpassage' (text passage), 'Filmpassage' (film passage), or 'Musikpassage' (musical passage).
EXAMPLE
Der Lehrer analysierte eine schwierige Textpassage mit den Schülern.
The teacher analyzed a difficult text passage with the students.
Word composition
In the architectural meaning, 'Passage' (arcade/passage) is often part of compound nouns. The best known are 'Einkaufspassage' (shopping arcade) and 'Ladenpassage' (shopping passage).
EXAMPLE
Am Wochenende bummeln wir gerne durch die neue Einkaufspassage.
On the weekend, we like to stroll through the new shopping arcade.
Register: technical language
The meaning of the 'Durchgang' (passage) of substances in the body is used almost exclusively in medicine. You will hardly hear this meaning in everyday life.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt erklärte dem Patienten die Magen-Darm-Passage.
The doctor explained the gastrointestinal passage to the patient.
Compare with
Passage vs Stelle
place / position
'die Stelle' and 'die Passage' can both mean a part of a text or piece of music. 'Stelle' is very general and can also mean a very short point, for example a sentence or even a word in a text. 'Passage' sounds a bit more elevated and usually means a connected section, often several sentences or a longer passage. They can be confused because both are used when reading, listening, or analyzing. In everyday language, 'Stelle' is often more natural; 'Passage' fits well when you are talking about a specific longer section.
Passage
Die Passage am Ende des Films hat viele Zuschauer sehr berührt.
The passage at the end of the film deeply moved many viewers.
Stelle
Kannst du mir die Stelle im Buch noch einmal zeigen?
Can you show me the passage in the book again?
In real life
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