01
die Spanne
range / span
The range or distance between two values, points, or points in time.
example
Die Altersspanne der Teilnehmer reichte von 18 bis 65 Jahren.
The age range of the participants went from 18 to 65 years.
die Spanne
range / span / margin
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Die Spanne' (range/span) is related to the verb 'spannen' (to stretch or span), which means 'strecken' (to stretch) or 'sich erstrecken' (to extend). A 'Spanne' is therefore literally a distance that is bridged or stretched across.
EXAMPLE
Die Hängematte war zwischen zwei Bäumen gespannt.
The hammock was stretched between two trees.
Context clue: range
When it is about a range between two values, you will often find words like 'Alter' (age), 'Zeit' (time), 'Preise' (prices), or the structure 'von ... bis ...' (from ... to ...) in the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Die Gehaltsspanne für diese Position liegt zwischen 40.000 und 50.000 Euro pro Jahr.
The salary range for this position is between 40,000 and 50,000 euros per year.
Typical combinations
In the meaning of 'Bereich' (range), 'Spanne' is often combined with adjectives such as 'groß' (large), 'klein' (small), 'breit' (wide), or 'eng' (narrow). The formulation 'die Spanne reicht von ... bis ...' (the range extends from ... to ...) is very typical.
EXAMPLE
Die Spanne zwischen dem günstigsten und dem teuersten Modell ist enorm.
The range between the cheapest and the most expensive model is enormous.
Context clue: business
In a business context, you can recognize this meaning from words such as 'Gewinn' (profit), 'Marge' (margin), 'Händler' (retailer/dealer), 'Einkaufspreis' (purchase price), or 'Verkaufspreis' (selling price).
EXAMPLE
Kleine Geschäfte haben oft nicht die gleiche Gewinnspanne wie große Supermarktketten.
Small shops often do not have the same profit margin as large supermarket chains.
Context clue: construction
You can recognize this technical meaning in the context of architecture and construction. Typical words are 'Brücke' (bridge), 'Balken' (beam), 'Träger' (girder/support), or the verb 'überbrücken' (to bridge/span).
EXAMPLE
Die Architekten planten eine Brücke mit einer beeindruckenden Spanne von 200 Metern.
The architects planned a bridge with an impressive span of 200 meters.
Compare with
Spanne vs Bereich
area / field
'der Bereich' and 'die Spanne' can both describe something that lies between limits. 'Bereich' is more general: it can be an area, a zone, or, in mathematics, a set of possible values. 'Spanne' places more emphasis on the distance between two points, values, or points in time, for example between the lowest and highest price. Learners may confuse the words because both occur with numbers and limits. If you mean the whole area or the whole set, 'Bereich' fits. If you mean the difference from beginning to end or from low to high, 'Spanne' is more precise.
Spanne
Die Spanne zwischen dem billigsten und dem teuersten Ticket ist sehr groß.
The range between the cheapest and the most expensive ticket is very large.
Bereich
Der sichere Bereich auf der Karte ist grün markiert.
The safe area on the map is marked in green.
In real life
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