to sow
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to sow
To put seeds into the soil so that plants can grow from them. This is a basic step in agriculture and gardening.
Im Frühling säen die Bauern das Getreide auf den Feldern.
In spring, the farmers sow the grain in the fields.
You can tell whether the literal or figurative meaning is meant from the object. If it refers to seeds or plants, e.g. 'Körner' (grains) or 'Blumen' (flowers), it is literal. If it refers to abstract, negative feelings, e.g. 'Zweifel' (doubts) or 'Hass' (hatred), it is meant figuratively.
Im Herbst können Sie Blumenzwiebeln für das nächste Jahr säen.
In autumn, you can sow flower bulbs for the next year.
In the figurative meaning, 'säen' (to sow) is almost always used with negative concepts. Typical combinations are 'Zweifel säen' (to sow doubt), 'Misstrauen säen' (to sow mistrust), 'Zwietracht säen' (to sow discord), or 'Angst säen' (to sow fear).
Durch die Gerüchte wurde in der Firma gezielt Zwietracht gesät.
Through the rumors, discord was deliberately sown in the company.
The verb is part of the well-known proverb 'Wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten' (whoever sows the wind will reap the storm). It means that small negative actions can have major negative consequences.
Er hat alle belogen und verlor am Ende alle seine Freunde – wer Wind sät, wird Sturm ernten.
He lied to everyone and in the end lost all his friends—whoever sows the wind will reap the storm.
to set / put
'setzen' and 'säen' can both have to do with putting something into the soil so that it later grows. The most important difference is: 'säen' is used only for seeds. 'setzen' can be used for plants or seeds, especially when you put something deliberately into a specific spot in the soil. Learners may confuse the words because both occur in gardening and agriculture. If you are talking about seeds, 'säen' is usually more precise. If you put a plant, a bulb, or something else in a fixed place, 'setzen' often fits.
Am Wochenende säen wir Radieschen in eine lange Reihe.
At the weekend, we sow radishes in a long row.
Meine Nachbarin setzt die kleinen Tomatenpflanzen erst nach dem Frost ins Beet.
My neighbor plants the small tomato plants in the bed only after the frost.