curtain
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curtain
A piece of fabric that is hung in front of a window to provide privacy or protection from the sun.
Kannst du bitte die Vorhänge zuziehen? Es wird langsam dunkel.
Could you please close the curtains? It's slowly getting dark.
curtain
A large, heavy cloth on a theater stage that separates the audience area from the stage and is opened and closed at the beginning and end of a performance.
Nach der beeindruckenden Aufführung fiel der Vorhang unter tosendem Applaus.
After the impressive performance, the curtain fell to thunderous applause.
Iron Curtain
A term for the political, military, and ideological division of Europe into a western and an eastern bloc during the Cold War.
Der Fall des Eisernen Vorhangs im Jahr 1989 markierte das Ende einer Ära.
The fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 marked the end of an era.
The word 'Vorhang' (curtain) is made up of 'vor' (in front of) and an old form of 'hängen' (to hang). So it literally describes something that hangs 'in front of' something else, for example in front of a window or a stage.
Ein schwerer Samtvorhang hing vor der alten Eichentür.
A heavy velvet curtain hung in front of the old oak door.
With curtains at a window, specific verbs are used for opening and closing. You say 'die Vorhänge aufziehen' (to open the curtains) and 'die Vorhänge zuziehen' (to close the curtains).
Zieh bitte die Vorhänge auf, damit etwas Licht ins Zimmer kommt.
Please open the curtains so some light can come into the room.
In a theater context, there are fixed expressions. At the beginning of a performance, 'hebt sich der Vorhang' (the curtain rises), and at the end, 'fällt der Vorhang' (the curtain falls).
Das Publikum wurde still, als sich der rote Vorhang langsam hob.
The audience fell silent as the red curtain slowly rose.
The 'Eiserne Vorhang' (Iron Curtain) is a fixed historical term. It is almost always used with the definite article 'der' and the adjective 'Eiserne'. The most common phrase is 'der Fall des Eisernen Vorhangs' (the fall of the Iron Curtain).
Meine Großeltern erzählten oft von der Zeit vor dem Fall des Eisernen Vorhangs.
My grandparents often talked about the time before the fall of the Iron Curtain.
curtain
Both Vorhang and Gardine can hang in front of a window and limit the view or the amount of light. A Gardine is usually light and partly transparent, while Vorhang is the more general and often heavier term. Gardine is suitable for thin fabric, while Vorhang is more appropriate for thicker fabric.
Am Abend zieht Maria den schweren Vorhang vor das Fenster, damit kein Licht hereinkommt.
In the evening, Maria draws the heavy curtain across the window so that no light comes in.
Am Tag lässt Maria die dünne Gardine vor dem Fenster hängen, damit noch Licht hereinkommt.
During the day, Maria leaves the thin curtain hanging in front of the window so that some light can still come in.
