handkerchief / tissue
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handkerchief / tissue
A small cloth or piece of paper used mainly for blowing one's nose, but also for drying tears or small dirty spots.
Bei einer Erkältung sollte man immer ein Päckchen Taschentücher dabeihaben.
When you have a cold, you should always have a pack of tissues with you.
The word is easy to understand if you know its parts: 'die Tasche' (pocket/bag) and 'das Tuch' (cloth). So it is literally a cloth that you carry in your pocket.
Er zog ein sauberes Taschentuch aus seiner Jackentasche.
He pulled a clean handkerchief out of his jacket pocket.
Common verbs used with 'Taschentuch' (handkerchief/tissue) are 'benutzen' (to use), 'brauchen' (to need), 'anbieten' (to offer), or 'reichen' (to hand/pass). It is also often connected with 'sich die Nase putzen' (to blow one's nose).
Kannst du mir bitte ein Taschentuch reichen?
Could you please pass me a tissue?
A distinction is often made between 'Papiertaschentuch' (paper tissue) for single use and 'Stofftaschentuch' (cloth handkerchief) made of cotton. If people just say 'Taschentuch' (handkerchief/tissue), today they usually mean the paper version.
Für den Umweltschutz benutzen manche Leute wieder Stofftaschentücher.
For environmental reasons, some people are using cloth handkerchiefs again.
speed / tissue / tempo
'das Tempo' and 'das Taschentuch' can both mean a paper tissue. 'Tempo' is actually a brand name, but colloquially it is often used for a paper tissue. 'Taschentuch' is the general and neutral term. It can be made of paper or cloth. The words can be confused because many people say 'Tempo' in everyday speech, even if the tissue is not from that brand. In more formal or precise situations, 'Taschentuch' fits better.
Nach dem Gespräch gab der Arzt dem Kind ein Taschentuch.
After the conversation, the doctor gave the child a tissue.
Sie hat im Park ein Tempo aus der Tasche geholt.
She took a tissue out of her bag in the park.