cookie / spot
das Plätzchen, die Plätzchen
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cookie
A small, flat, sweet baked good that is baked and eaten especially during the Christmas season. Similar to a biscuit or cookie.
Meine Oma backt die besten Plätzchen der Welt.
My grandma bakes the best cookies in the world.
spot
A small, often cozy or pleasant place. It is the diminutive form of 'der Platz' (place/space).
Lass uns ein ruhiges Plätzchen im Park suchen.
Let's look for a quiet spot in the park.
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Plätzchen |
| genitive | des Plätzchens |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Plätzchen | die Plätzchen |
| accusative | das Plätzchen | die Plätzchen |
| dative | dem Plätzchen | den Plätzchen |
| genitive | des Plätzchens | der Plätzchen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Plätzchen' is the diminutive form of 'der Platz' (place/space). The ending '-chen' makes the word neuter ('das') and means 'small'. This turns a Platz into a small place, and a flat piece of dough into a small baked good.
Wir haben ein schönes Plätzchen für unser Picknick gefunden.
We found a nice spot for our picnic.
You can easily recognize the meaning from context. If it's about baking, Christmas, coffee, or sweets, it means the baked good. If it's about places, parks, sun, or quiet, it means a small spot.
Im Advent duftet es im ganzen Haus nach frisch gebackenen Plätzchen.
During Advent, the whole house smells of freshly baked cookies.
Die Katze hat sich ein sonniges Plätzchen am Fenster gesucht.
The cat found itself a sunny spot by the window.
When referring to baked goods, 'Plätzchen' is often combined with the verbs 'backen' (to bake), 'ausstechen' (to cut out), 'verzieren' (to decorate), or 'essen' (to eat).
Die Kinder lieben es, die Plätzchen mit bunten Streuseln zu verzieren.
The children love decorating the cookies with colorful sprinkles.
Am Nachmittag gab es Tee und Plätzchen.
In the afternoon there was tea and cookies.
Baking Plätzchen (Christmas cookies) is a very popular tradition in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland during the pre-Christmas season (Advent).
Jedes Jahr im Dezember backen wir zusammen mit der ganzen Familie Plätzchen.
Every year in December, we bake cookies together with the whole family.
When a small place is meant, 'Plätzchen' is often described with adjectives such as 'ruhig' (quiet), 'gemütlich' (cozy), 'sonnig' (sunny), or 'schattig' (shady).
Hinter dem Haus gibt es ein gemütliches Plätzchen zum Lesen.
Behind the house there is a cozy spot for reading.
cookie / biscuit
A Keks and a Plätzchen are both small, flat, sweet baked goods. Keks is the more general term for such items. Plätzchen is especially appropriate for homemade or Christmas baked goods. In many situations, both words are understandable and possible.
In der Adventszeit nahm ich mir ein selbst gebackenes Plätzchen.
During Advent, I took a homemade cookie.
Zum Kaffee nahm ich mir einen Keks aus der geöffneten Packung.
I took a cookie from the opened package with my coffee.
