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die Zigarette
cigarette
A small roll of finely cut and dried tobacco that is wrapped in thin paper and used for smoking.
example
Er raucht nach jeder Mahlzeit eine Zigarette.
He smokes a cigarette after every meal.
die Zigarette
cigarette
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word 'Zigarette' (cigarette) comes from French, and the ending '-ette' is a diminutive form. So a cigarette is literally a 'small cigar'.
EXAMPLE
Er raucht lieber Zigarren, keine Zigaretten.
He prefers smoking cigars, not cigarettes.
Typical verbs
Common verbs describe the whole process: you light a cigarette, smoke it, and put it out at the end.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir Feuer geben, um meine Zigarette anzuzünden?
Can you give me a light so I can light my cigarette?
Typical expression
The colloquial phrase 'eine rauchen gehen' means to take a break in order to smoke a cigarette. It is often used as a suggestion or announcement.
EXAMPLE
Ich gehe kurz vor die Tür eine rauchen.
I’m just going outside for a smoke.
Typical quantities
Cigarettes are often bought or mentioned in specific quantities. Typical units are 'eine Schachtel Zigaretten' (a pack of cigarettes, usually about 20) or 'eine Stange Zigaretten' (a carton of cigarettes, usually 10 packs).
EXAMPLE
Könntest du mir vom Supermarkt eine Schachtel Zigaretten mitbringen?
Could you bring me a pack of cigarettes from the supermarket?
Compare with
Zigarette vs Joint
joint
'Zigarette' and 'Joint' both refer to something rolled that you smoke. The important difference is the contents. A 'Zigarette' contains tobacco and is usually industrially made or hand-rolled. A 'Joint' is a hand-rolled cigarette with cannabis. Learners may confuse the words because a joint can look like a cigarette in shape. Still, 'Joint' is much more specific and refers to cannabis. If only tobacco is meant, you say 'Zigarette'.
Zigarette
Vor dem Bahnhof raucht ein Mann eine Zigarette.
A man is smoking a cigarette in front of the train station.
Joint
In dem Film sitzt die Gruppe im Park und raucht einen Joint.
In the film, the group is sitting in the park and smoking a joint.
In real life
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