A method for folding paper by means of a folding machine having a folding station, wherein a portion of a paper web (9) supplied to same is firstly folded in a first stack (10) containing continuous sheets and, after reaching a threshold value of the thus-created first stack (10), moved into a stacker (15) and thus remains in contact, via a folded stacking area (12) with a further portion of the paper web (9), wherein a section of the folded stacking area (12) serves as basis for a further subsequent stack of continuous sheets to be folded thereupon. Such method is intended to be developed such that only the smallest possible loops are required. To this end, before moving the first stack (10) into the stacker (15) the folded stacking area (12) is withdrawn out of the folding station from the first already folded stack (10), the folded stacking area (12) is fed back into the folding station while the first stack (10) is moved into the stacker (15), and then the already folded stacking area (12) fed back into the folding station serves as the basis for the subsequent stack to be folded, and the process of withdrawing the folded stacking area (12) after reaching a threshold value of the subsequent stack is repeated until the whole paper web (9) supplied has finished being folded.