der Streifen
stripe / strip
A long, narrow piece of something or a line that stands out from the background in color or material.
EXAMPLE
Das neue T-Shirt hat blaue und weiße Streifen.
The new T-shirt has blue and white stripes.
der Streifen
stripe / film
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Meanings
der Streifen
film
A colloquial term for a movie or television film.
EXAMPLE
Hast du den neuen Streifen mit Tom Hanks schon gesehen?
Have you already seen the new film with Tom Hanks?
der Streifen
strip
A narrow section of land or area.
EXAMPLE
Zwischen den beiden Grundstücken liegt ein schmaler Streifen Wiese.
Between the two properties there is a narrow strip of meadow.
der Streifen
comic strip
A short, usually humorous picture story, as often found in newspapers; a comic strip.
EXAMPLE
Jeden Morgen lese ich zuerst die lustigen Streifen in der Zeitung.
Every morning I first read the funny comic strips in the newspaper.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Streifen' (the stripe/strip) is related to the verb 'streifen' (to brush against something, to roam). A 'Streifen' is often the result of such a movement, like a drawn line.
EXAMPLE
Ein Lichtstreifen fiel durch die offene Tür.
A strip of light fell through the open door.
Context clue
You can easily recognize the meaning of 'Streifen' (stripe/strip/film) from context. Words like 'Kino' (cinema) or 'Film' point to a film. 'Zeitung' (newspaper) or 'Comic' point to a picture story. Fabric or material names point to the pattern.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe den neuen Action-Streifen gestern im Kino gesehen.
I saw the new action film at the cinema yesterday.
Typical collocations
In its basic meaning, 'Streifen' (strip/stripe) is often used with the preposition 'in' and a verb of cutting or tearing. Adjectives like 'schmal' (narrow) or 'breit' (wide) are also common.
EXAMPLE
Für den Salat müssen Sie die Paprika in feine Streifen schneiden.
For the salad, you need to cut the bell pepper into thin strips.
Register: colloquial language
Using 'Streifen' (film) for a movie is colloquial. In neutral or formal contexts, you would say 'Film'.
EXAMPLE
Am Wochenende schauen wir uns einen alten Schwarz-Weiß-Streifen an.
At the weekend we're going to watch an old black-and-white film.
Compound words
'Streifen' (stripe/strip) is part of many useful everyday words. Examples include 'Zebrastreifen' (pedestrian crossing) or 'Seitenstreifen' (shoulder at the edge of a highway).
EXAMPLE
Bitte warte am Zebrastreifen, bis die Autos anhalten.
Please wait at the pedestrian crossing until the cars stop.
Compare with
Streifen vs Film
film
Film and Streifen can refer to the same cinematic or television work. Film is the neutral standard term, while Streifen sounds colloquial and stylistically marked. Film is appropriate in factual texts; Streifen can be used in a casual conversation.
Streifen
Im Gespräch mit Freunden bezeichnet Tom den Streifen als besonders gelungen.
Tom calls the movie particularly successful when talking with friends.
Film
Die Zeitung bezeichnet den Film als besonders gelungen.
The newspaper calls the film particularly successful.
In real life
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