der Spalt
gap
A narrow, elongated opening, crack, or joint in or between objects.
EXAMPLE
Durch den Spalt in der Tür konnte man Licht sehen.
You could see light through the gap in the door.
der Spalt
gap / rift
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Meanings
der Spalt
rift
A deep disagreement or conflict that divides a group of people.
EXAMPLE
Die Debatte über das neue Gesetz führte zu einem tiefen Spalt in der Partei.
The debate about the new law led to a deep rift in the party.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Spalt' (the gap/rift) is the noun related to the verb 'spalten' (to split), which means 'teilen' (to divide) or 'trennen' (to separate). This connection helps you understand both the literal and the figurative meaning.
EXAMPLE
Ein Blitz hat den alten Baumstamm gespalten.
A bolt of lightning split the old tree trunk.
Context clues
You can recognize the literal meaning (m01) from physical objects such as 'Wand' (wall), 'Tür' (door), or 'Boden' (floor). You can recognize the figurative meaning (m02) from social groups such as 'Partei' (party), 'Gesellschaft' (society), or 'Familie' (family).
EXAMPLE
Die Katze schlüpfte durch einen schmalen Spalt im Zaun.
The cat slipped through a narrow gap in the fence.
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning, 'Spalt' (rift) is often combined with adjectives such as 'tief' (deep) or 'unüberbrückbar' (unbridgeable). A typical verb is 'gehen' (to go/run): 'Ein Spalt geht durch die Gruppe' (A rift runs through the group).
EXAMPLE
Die politische Entscheidung verursachte einen tiefen Spalt in der Bevölkerung.
The political decision caused a deep rift in the population.
Compare with
Spalt vs Lücke
gap
Lücke and Spalt can both refer to an open or empty space. Lücke tends to emphasize a missing section or an incomplete edge, whereas Spalt is typically narrow and elongated. For a narrow opening between two parts, Spalt is therefore often the better choice.
Spalt
Durch den schmalen Spalt im Zaun konnte die Katze entkommen.
The cat escaped through the narrow gap in the fence.
Lücke
Nach dem Sturm blieb eine große Lücke im Zaun.
After the storm, a large gap remained in the fence.
In real life
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