board game
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board game
A parlor game played on a special game board, often using pieces, dice, or cards according to fixed rules.
Am Wochenende treffen wir uns oft mit Freunden, um Brettspiele zu spielen.
On weekends, we often meet up with friends to play board games.
'Brettspiel' (board game) is a compound noun made up of 'das Brett' (a flat board, often made of wood or cardboard) and 'das Spiel' (game). So it literally describes a game that takes place on a board.
„Mensch ärgere Dich nicht“ ist ein klassisches deutsches Brettspiel.
'Mensch ärgere Dich nicht' is a classic German board game.
The word element '-spiel' (-game) is very productive and forms many other words for types of games. If you see '-spiel' at the end of a word, it is often about some kind of game, for example 'Kartenspiel' (card game), 'Würfelspiel' (dice game), or 'Computerspiel' (computer game).
Ich mag Brettspiele lieber als Computerspiele.
I like board games better than computer games.
People usually say 'ein Brettspiel spielen' (to play a board game). A common social activity is a 'Brettspielabend' (board game night), where people meet up to play together.
Wir veranstalten jeden Freitag einen Brettspielabend mit Freunden.
We host a board game night with friends every Friday.
card game / deck
'das Kartenspiel' and 'das Brettspiel' are both games that people often play together with others. The difference lies in the materials. You play a 'Kartenspiel' with playing cards; the word can also mean the deck of cards itself. You play a 'Brettspiel' on a game board, often with pieces, dice, or cards. Learners may confuse the words because some board games also contain cards. The key point is: if the game board is central, you say 'Brettspiel'. If the game mainly consists of cards, you say 'Kartenspiel'.
Nach dem Abendessen spielten die Gäste ein Brettspiel im Wohnzimmer.
After dinner, the guests played a board game in the living room.
Bei schlechtem Wetter holten wir ein Kartenspiel aus der Schublade.
In bad weather, we took a card game out of the drawer.