01
der Strauch
bush / shrub
A woody plant that is smaller than a tree and branches into several stems or branches directly above the ground.
example
Im Garten wächst ein blühender Fliederstrauch.
A flowering lilac bush is growing in the garden.
der Strauch
bush / shrub
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Meanings
Usage tips
Typical collocations
Common verbs used in connection with 'Strauch' (bush/shrub) are 'einen Strauch pflanzen' (to plant a bush) or 'einen Strauch schneiden' (to trim a bush). Typical adjectives are 'blühend' (flowering), 'dicht' (dense), or 'immergrün' (evergreen).
EXAMPLE
Im Herbst müssen wir die Sträucher im Garten schneiden.
In the fall, we have to trim the bushes in the garden.
Use in compounds
'Strauch' (bush/shrub) is very often used as the base word in compound nouns to name a specific type of plant. Examples are 'Rosenstrauch' (rose bush), 'Fliederstrauch' (lilac bush), or 'Beerenstrauch' (berry bush).
EXAMPLE
Die Vögel fressen gerne die Beeren vom Holunderstrauch.
The birds like to eat the berries from the elderberry bush.
Use in a sentence
The word is often combined with prepositions of place to describe a position in nature or in the garden. It is especially common when something is hidden.
EXAMPLE
Die Katze hat sich hinter einem Strauch versteckt.
The cat hid behind a bush.
Compare with
Strauch vs Baum
tree
'der Baum' and 'der Strauch' are both woody plants. The most important difference is their shape: a 'Baum' is larger and usually has a clear trunk. A 'Strauch' stays smaller and branches into several stems or branches close to the ground. 'Strauch' sounds a little more precise or technical than 'Busch', but it is also used in everyday language, for example in the garden. Learners may confuse 'Baum' and 'Strauch' if they only notice that a plant has wood and leaves. Pay attention above all to height and trunk.
Strauch
Mein Kollege schneidet den Strauch, damit er nicht vor das Fenster wächst.
My colleague is trimming the shrub so that it does not grow in front of the window.
Baum
Nach dem Sturm lag ein großer Baum quer über der Straße.
After the storm, a large tree was lying across the road.
In real life
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