Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Karte | /ˈkartə/ | feminine |
| Landkarte | /ˈlantˌkaʁtə/ | feminine |
| Plan | /plaːn/ | masculine |
Karte is the most common and general term, though it can also mean a card. For a map of a specific land area or territory, use Landkarte. If you are referring to technical, architectural or street-level drawings, use Plan. Common specific terms include Weltkarte (world map), Straßenkarte (road map) and Geländeplan (topographic map).
Which one should you use?
Karte is a general term for a map and can also mean a playing card or a greeting card. Landkarte is more specific, referring specifically to a map of land or a territory. Plan is used for technical or architectural drawings, such as a floor plan or a city map that shows streets rather than geographic features.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form for both Karte and Landkarte is Karten. Plan is a masculine noun, while Karte and Landkarte are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of Karte is /ˈkartə/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because Karte means both "map" and "card", English speakers may find sentences like Ich habe eine Karte confusing, as it could mean "I have a map" or "I have a card" depending on the context.
Did you know?
- In a restaurant, if you ask for a Karte, you are not asking for a map, but for the menu.
- The word Karte is a doublet of Karton, meaning 'cardboard' or 'carton'.
- The word Plan is a 'false friend' in some contexts because it is used for both technical drawings and general schemes or intentions.
Examples in context
- Wo ist die Karte?Where's the map?This is useful for asking about the location of a map using Karte.Tatoeba #7354705 by Yorwba, translation #1886596 by CK
- Tom hat eine Karte.Tom has a map.This is useful for stating possession of a map using Karte.Tatoeba #3079984 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2649189 by CK
- Hier ist die Karte.Here is the map.This is useful for pointing out a map using Karte.Tatoeba #7552351 by Luiaard, translation #1761751 by Tereza
- Ich habe eine Karte von Deutschland.I have a map of Germany.
- Bitte schauen Sie auf der Karte nach.Please look at the map.
- Hast du eine Landkarte von Berlin?Do you have a map of Berlin?
- Schau mal auf der Landkarte nach.Look at the map.
- Könntest du mir den Weg auf der Karte zeigen?Could you show me the way on the map?
- Kannst du mir eine Karte von Europa geben?Can you give me a map of Europe?
- Auf dieser Landkarte kann man die schönsten Sehenswürdigkeiten finden.On this map, you can find the most beautiful sights.
- 200 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are planning a hiking trip.
- JulianHast du die Karte für den Wald dabei?Do you have the map for the forest with you?
- SarahJa, ich habe die Karte in meinem Rucksack.Yes, I have the map in my backpack.
- JulianSuper, dann können wir uns nicht verlaufen.Great, then we won't get lost.
- SarahKeine Sorge, Julian, die Karte ist sehr genau.Don't worry, Julian, the map is very accurate.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “map” translations and entries Karte, Landkarte, Plan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Karte, Landkarte, Plan, plan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
