main building
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main building
The central or most important building of a complex consisting of several buildings, such as a university, a company, or a hospital.
Die Anmeldung für die Konferenz befindet sich im Foyer des Hauptgebäudes.
Registration for the conference is located in the foyer of the main building.
The word consists of 'Haupt-' (main) and 'Gebäude' (building). The prefix 'Haupt-' means 'most important' or 'central' and is very productive in German. If you know this pattern, you can also understand words like 'Hauptbahnhof' (main train station), 'Hauptstadt' (capital city), or 'Hauptstraße' (main street).
Wir treffen uns vor dem Haupteingang des Museums.
We'll meet in front of the museum's main entrance.
The use of the word 'Hauptgebäude' (main building) implies that there are other, usually smaller buildings, known as 'Nebengebäude' (outbuildings/annexes). It is typically used for universities, large companies, hospitals, or palace/castle complexes.
Die Bibliothek befindet sich in einem Nebengebäude hinter dem Hauptgebäude.
The library is located in an annex behind the main building.
Pay attention to the difference between 'in' with the dative and accusative. You are 'im Hauptgebäude' (in the main building; location, dative), but you go 'ins Hauptgebäude' (into the main building; direction, accusative).
Die Vorlesung findet im Hauptgebäude statt.
The lecture takes place in the main building.
headquarters
'Hauptsitz' and 'Hauptgebäude' can be easy to confuse because both describe something central. But they do not mean the same thing. 'Hauptsitz' describes the central location or central administration of a company, organization, or public authority. So it is about the function of the place. 'Hauptgebäude', on the other hand, means a concrete building that is the most important building in a larger site, for example at a university or hospital. An organization can have its headquarters in a city; on the site, there may also be a main building.
Wegen der Bauarbeiten ist der Eingang zum Hauptgebäude morgen geschlossen.
Because of the construction work, the entrance to the main building will be closed tomorrow.
Der Hauptsitz des Vereins ist in Köln, aber es gibt auch Büros in anderen Städten.
The association's headquarters are in Cologne, but there are also offices in other cities.