floodplain / meadow
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floodplain meadow
A meadow landscape in the lowland area of a river or stream, often used as pastureland and potentially shaped by periodic flooding.
Im Frühling verwandelt sich die Aue in ein Meer aus blühenden Wildblumen.
In spring, the floodplain meadow turns into a sea of blooming wildflowers.
The component '-aue' is often found in German place and landscape names. If you see a name like 'Gronauaue' or 'Fulda-Aue', you know it refers to a landscape near a river.
Der Nationalpark Donau-Auen schützt eine der letzten großen Flussauenlandschaften Europas.
The Donau-Auen National Park protects one of Europe's last large river floodplain landscapes.
An 'Aue' (floodplain meadow) is always located near a river or stream. Its defining feature is its proximity to water and the associated meadow landscape, often damp and fertile.
Nach dem starken Regen war die ganze Aue überflutet.
After the heavy rain, the entire floodplain meadow was flooded.
Typical descriptions are 'grüne Aue' (green floodplain meadow), 'blühende Aue' (blooming floodplain meadow), or 'weite Aue' (wide floodplain meadow). It is often described how people move through it, for example 'durch die Aue wandern' (to hike through the floodplain meadow) or 'in der Aue spazieren gehen' (to go for a walk in the floodplain meadow).
Wir sind am Wochenende durch die weiten Auen gewandert.
At the weekend, we hiked through the wide floodplain meadows.
meadow
'Wiese' and 'Aue' can both be green areas with grass. 'Wiese' is the more general word for a grassy area with herbs, often in the countryside. 'Aue' is more specific: it lies in the lowland area of a river or stream and can sometimes be flooded. That is why 'Aue' sounds more like landscape or nature description. The words can be confused because an 'Aue' often looks like a 'Wiese'. If the location by the water is important, 'Aue' is more precise; otherwise, 'Wiese' usually fits.
Nach dem Regen stand das Wasser in der Aue neben dem Fluss.
After the rain, water stood in the floodplain meadow next to the river.
Am Wochenende machen wir ein Picknick auf der Wiese am Waldrand.
At the weekend, we are having a picnic in the meadow at the edge of the forest.