hockey
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hockey
A team sport in which players try to hit a ball into the opposing goal with a stick. In Germany, this usually means field hockey, which is played on grass.
Unsere Tochter spielt seit drei Jahren Hockey im Verein.
Our daughter has been playing hockey at a club for three years.
ice hockey
Can also refer to ice hockey, especially in an international context or when winter sports are involved; it is played on an ice rink with a puck.
Kanada ist berühmt für sein schnelles und hartes Hockey auf dem Eis.
Canada is famous for its fast and hard hockey on ice.
When people in Germany talk about 'Hockey' without further context, they almost always mean field hockey, which is played on grass. This is an important difference from usage in North America.
Meine Nichte hat am Wochenende ein wichtiges Hockeyspiel.
My niece has an important hockey game this weekend.
To avoid misunderstandings, the compound words 'Feldhockey' (field hockey, on grass) and 'Eishockey' (ice hockey, on ice) are often used. These terms are unambiguous.
Deutschland ist im Feldhockey sehr erfolgreich.
Germany is very successful in field hockey.
The verb used with this sport is always 'spielen' (to play). You can also say that you are 'im Hockeyverein' (in a hockey club).
Lass uns am Nachmittag im Park ein bisschen Hockey spielen.
Let's play a little hockey in the park this afternoon.
ice hockey
Both words refer to a team sport played with sticks and a playing object. Eishockey clearly specifies the game played on ice, whereas Hockey in German usually means field hockey, but depending on the international or winter-sports context, it can also refer to ice hockey. For the ice-based version, “Eishockey” is clearer.
Beim Hockey auf dem Rasen versuchen die Spieler, den Ball ins Tor zu schlagen.
In field hockey, the players try to hit the ball into the goal.
Beim Eishockey fahren die Spieler mit Schlittschuhen über das Eis.
In ice hockey, the players skate across the ice.
