rubble
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rubble
A collection of loose, coarse chunks of rock and stones, often found on mountain slopes or at the foot of cliffs.
Nach dem Steinschlag war der Wanderweg von Geröll blockiert.
After the rockfall, the hiking trail was blocked by rubble.
The word 'Geröll' (rubble) is related to the verb 'rollen' (to roll). The prefix 'Ge-' here, as often in German, indicates a collection or quantity — so it refers to a collection of rock that has rolled down a slope.
Am Fuße des Berges sammelte sich über die Jahre viel Geröll an.
Over the years, a lot of rubble collected at the foot of the mountain.
'Geröll' (rubble) is a collective term and is used as an uncountable noun only in the singular. A plural form 'die Gerölle' does not exist in standard German.
Vorsicht, der Weg ist voller Geröll und sehr rutschig.
Careful, the path is full of rubble and very slippery.
'Geröll' (rubble) is often used in contexts involving nature and mountains. Typical phrases are 'ein Feld aus Geröll' (a field of rubble), 'von Geröll bedeckt sein' (to be covered with rubble), or 'über Geröll klettern' (to climb over rubble).
Die Bergsteiger mussten vorsichtig über ein großes Geröllfeld steigen.
The mountaineers had to carefully cross a large field of rubble.
rock
Gestein generally refers to the solid material that mountains and cliffs are made of. Geröll, on the other hand, is a collection of loose, coarse pieces of this material. Gestein is therefore used for the basic material, while Geröll refers to many loose chunks on a slope or beneath a cliff.
Am Fuß des Berges liegt viel loses Geröll.
There is a lot of loose rubble at the foot of the mountain.
Der Berg besteht aus sehr festem Gestein.
The mountain is made of very solid rock.
