01
die Bank
bank
A company that offers financial services, such as managing accounts, granting loans, and handling payment transactions.
example
Ich muss zur Bank gehen, um Geld abzuheben.
I have to go to the bank to withdraw money.
die Bank
bank / bench
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Two main meanings
The two most common meanings are the financial institution and the seating furniture. The context makes clear what is meant: words like 'Geld' (money) or 'Konto' (account) point to the financial institution, while 'sitzen' (to sit) or 'Park' (park) point to the bench.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe ein neues Konto bei einer anderen Bank eröffnet.
I opened a new account at another bank.
Prepositions (finance)
In connection with the financial institution, certain prepositions are typical. You go 'zur Bank' (to the bank, direction), work 'bei der Bank' (at the bank, employer), and have money 'auf der Bank' (in the bank, location).
EXAMPLE
Er arbeitet seit zehn Jahren bei dieser Bank.
He has been working at this bank for ten years.
Prepositions (seating)
When the seating option is meant, the preposition 'auf' is almost always used. Movement is expressed with the accusative ('sich auf die Bank setzen' — to sit down on the bench), and a state with the dative ('auf der Bank sitzen' — to be sitting on the bench).
EXAMPLE
Setz dich doch einen Moment auf die Bank.
Sit down on the bench for a moment.
Context: sports
In a sports context, 'die Bank' (the bench) refers to the area for substitute players. The expression 'auf der Bank sitzen' (to sit on the bench) means that a player is not actively taking part in the game.
EXAMPLE
Der verletzte Spieler saß während des Finales nur auf der Bank.
The injured player only sat on the bench during the final.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'durch die Bank' is a fixed unit and means 'without exception' or 'all without exception'. It has nothing to do with money or sitting.
EXAMPLE
Die Kritiken für den neuen Film waren durch die Bank positiv.
The reviews for the new film were positive across the board.
Compound words
In meanings like 'Datenbank' (database) or 'Blutbank' (blood bank), 'Bank' is the second part of a compound word. The first part (e.g. 'Daten' (data), 'Blut' (blood)) explains what is collected or stored there.
EXAMPLE
Alle Kundendaten sind in einer sicheren Datenbank gespeichert.
All customer data is stored in a secure database.
Compare with
Bank vs Sammlung
collection
'die Bank' and 'die Sammlung' can both have to do with many organized things or pieces of information. In this sense, 'die Bank' usually means a place or system where important resources are stored and made available, for example a 'Datenbank' (database) or 'Blutbank' (blood bank). 'die Sammlung' refers more to the group of things itself that someone has gathered. A 'Sammlung' can be private, scientific, or artistic. A 'Bank' sounds more strongly connected to organized use and access, while a 'Sammlung' sounds more like gathered objects.
Bank
Die Klinik speichert wichtige Proben in einer Bank für medizinische Daten.
The clinic stores important samples in a bank for medical data.
Sammlung
In der Bibliothek sehe ich mir morgen eine Sammlung alter Reiseberichte an.
Tomorrow I will look at a collection of old travel reports in the library.
In real life
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