Gefaltete

Gefaltete is a German adjective form meaning folded. It is the attributive form of the past participle gefaltet, which comes from falten, to fold. As an adjective, gefaltet describes objects that have undergone folding, and it is typically placed directly before a noun (for example, eine gefaltete Karte, das gefaltete Blatt).

Use and grammar

Gefaltete functions mainly as an attributive adjective. In predicative position, the form is usually gefaltet (Das Papier ist gefaltet). The ending gefaltete varies with gender, number, and case, and with definite or indefinite determiners; it appears in phrases such as die gefaltete Karte, das gefaltete Papier, die gefalteten Karten, or gefaltete Blätter. In plural without a determiner, strong inflection yields forms like gefaltete Karten or gefaltete Blätter.

Contexts and examples

The term is common in everyday German when describing folded objects or pieces, such as geschenkverpackungen, Karten, Origami, textiles or maps. Examples include die gefaltete Karte, das gefaltete Blatt Papier, gefaltete Origami-Figuren, or gefaltete Kleidung. It can also be used metaphorically to refer to something complex or layered, described as gefaltet in a broader sense.

Etymology and related forms

Gefaltete derives from gefaltet, the past participle of falten (to fold), with the usual German adjective inflection. Related terms include falten (verb), gefaltet (predicative form), und gefaltetes Papier (folded paper). The concept is common across domains such as printing, packaging, art, and crafts.