capital
Loading your saved state.
capital
The most important city of a country, federal state, or region, where the seat of government is usually located.
Paris ist nicht nur die Hauptstadt von Frankreich, sondern auch ein Zentrum für Kultur und Mode.
Paris is not only the capital of France, but also a center for culture and fashion.
The word is made up of 'Haupt' (main, head) and 'Stadt' (city). So the capital is literally the 'Haupt-Stadt' (main city) of a country.
Die Hauptstadt von Deutschland ist Berlin.
The capital of Germany is Berlin.
The adjective 'hauptstädtisch' is derived from the noun 'die Hauptstadt' (the capital). It means 'belonging to the capital' or 'typical of the capital'.
Das hauptstädtische Leben ist oft hektisch und teuer.
Life in the capital is often hectic and expensive.
To describe the location, you use the preposition 'in' with the dative: 'in der Hauptstadt' (in the capital). To express belonging to a country, you use 'von': 'die Hauptstadt von Deutschland' (the capital of Germany).
Die Regierung hat ihren Sitz in der Hauptstadt.
The government has its seat in the capital.
state capital
Hauptstadt is the general term for the most important city of a country, federal state, or region. Landeshauptstadt more specifically refers to the seat of government of a German or Austrian federal state or a Swiss canton. For a federal state, both terms are often possible, but Landeshauptstadt highlights the political function.
München ist die Hauptstadt Bayerns.
Munich is the capital of Bavaria.
München ist die Landeshauptstadt Bayerns und Sitz der Landesregierung.
Munich is the state capital of Bavaria and the seat of the state government.
