der Acker
field
A piece of land used for agriculture to grow plants such as grain or vegetables.
EXAMPLE
Im Frühling pflügt der Bauer seinen Acker.
In spring, the farmer plows his field.
der Acker
field
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Meanings
der Acker
muddy pitch
A colloquial, derogatory term for a playing field, especially a soccer field, that is in very poor condition.
EXAMPLE
Auf diesem Acker kann man doch keinen vernünftigen Fußball spielen.
You can't play proper soccer on this muddy pitch.
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'der Acker' is closely related to the verb 'ackern'. 'Ackern' originally means to work a field, but colloquially it is also used for 'to work hard' or 'to slog away'.
EXAMPLE
Für diese Prüfung habe ich wirklich wochenlang geackert.
I really worked hard for weeks for this exam.
Typical verbs
In an agricultural context, 'Acker' is often combined with typical verbs, such as 'einen Acker bestellen' (to cultivate a field), 'pflügen' (to plow), or 'säen' (to sow).
EXAMPLE
Nach der Ernte muss der Acker für das nächste Jahr gepflügt werden.
After the harvest, the field has to be plowed for the next year.
Colloquial meaning
Using 'Acker' for a bad playing field is purely colloquial and has a negative, derogatory meaning. It is used to complain about the poor condition of the pitch.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem Regen verwandelt sich der Fußballplatz in einen echten Acker.
In this rain, the soccer field turns into a real muddy pitch.
Compare with
Acker vs Platz
place / space
Platz refers to a playing field in a neutral way. Acker can refer to the same playing field, but colloquially adds a derogatory evaluation: its condition is very poor. Platz works for a factual statement, while Acker can fit when strongly criticizing a soccer field.
Acker
Der Acker ist nach dem Regen kaum bespielbar.
The pitch is barely playable after the rain.
Platz
Der Platz ist nach dem Regen schwer bespielbar.
The pitch is difficult to play on after the rain.
In real life
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