die Ferne
distant lands
A faraway place or area. It often refers to a region beyond one's own surroundings.
EXAMPLE
Sie träumte davon, in die Ferne zu reisen.
She dreamed of traveling to distant lands.
die Ferne
distance / distant lands
die Ferne, die Fernen
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Meanings
die Ferne
distance
A great physical distance between two places or people.
EXAMPLE
Aus der Ferne sah die Stadt im Abendlicht wunderschön aus.
From a distance, the city looked beautiful in the evening light.
aus der Ferne
from a distance
Without being nearby or having personal contact; from a remote vantage point.
EXAMPLE
Er verfolgt die Entwicklung des Unternehmens nur aus der Ferne.
He only follows the company's development from a distance.
die Ferne
the distant future
A great distance in time, usually referring to an event in the future and less often to one in the past.
EXAMPLE
Der Abschluss des Projekts liegt noch in weiter Ferne.
The completion of the project still lies in the distant future.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Ferne, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Fernen |
| genitive | der Ferne |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Ferne | die Fernen |
| accusative | die Ferne | die Fernen |
| dative | der Ferne | den Fernen |
| genitive | der Ferne | der Fernen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Word formation
'Ferne' (distance / distant lands) belongs to the word family of 'fern' (far) and makes the quality tangible as a noun. The word therefore often refers to a great physical or temporal distance or to faraway regions.
EXAMPLE
Die Ferne faszinierte ihn schon seit seiner Kindheit.
Distant lands had fascinated him ever since his childhood.
Prepositions
Fixed prepositions are especially important with 'Ferne' (distance / distant lands): 'in die Ferne' (into the distance / to distant lands) indicates a direction, 'in der Ferne' (in the distance) refers to a distant place, and 'aus der Ferne' (from a distance) indicates a remote vantage point. The preposition also determines the case.
EXAMPLE
Sie blickte in die Ferne.
She gazed into the distance.
In der Ferne waren die ersten Berge zu sehen.
In the distance, the first mountains could be seen.
Ihre Eltern helfen ihr aus der Ferne, so gut sie können.
Her parents help her from a distance as best they can.
Typical collocations
When 'Ferne' (distant lands) refers to a faraway region or the idea of traveling, it is often used with verbs such as 'reisen' (to travel), 'ziehen' (to move) or 'locken' (to beckon). 'Sehnsucht nach der Ferne' (a longing for distant lands) is also a common expression.
EXAMPLE
Nach vielen Jahren in der Stadt wollte er in die Ferne ziehen.
After many years in the city, he wanted to move to distant lands.
Observing from a distance
In the meaning of a remote vantage point, 'aus der Ferne' (from a distance) is often used with verbs of perception and evaluation. Typical collocations include 'aus der Ferne beobachten' (to observe from a distance), 'aus der Ferne verfolgen' (to follow from a distance) and 'aus der Ferne beurteilen' (to assess from a distance).
EXAMPLE
Aus der Ferne lässt sich die Lage vor Ort nur schwer beurteilen.
The situation on site is difficult to assess from a distance.
In real life
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