der Kai
quay
A reinforced waterfront wall in a harbor or along a river where ships can dock to be loaded and unloaded.
EXAMPLE
Das große Kreuzfahrtschiff machte am Kai fest.
The large cruise ship docked at the quay.
der Kai
quay
der Kai, die Kais
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Kai, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Kais |
| genitive | des Kais |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Kai | die Kais |
| accusative | den Kai | die Kais |
| dative | dem Kai | den Kais |
| genitive | des Kais | der Kais |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Compound word
A related word is 'die Kaimauer' (quay wall). It describes the wall of the quay and helps you imagine the meaning as a solid, wall-like bank reinforcement in a harbor.
EXAMPLE
Die alte Kaimauer wird derzeit saniert.
The old quay wall is currently being renovated.
Place or direction?
Pay attention to the preposition and the case: 'am Kai' (at the quay) with the dative describes a fixed location. 'An den Kai' (to the quay) with the accusative describes movement toward it.
EXAMPLE
Das Schiff liegt sicher am Kai.
The ship is safely at the quay.
Typical verbs
In connection with 'Kai' (quay), verbs related to shipping are often used. Typical combinations are 'am Kai anlegen' (to dock at the quay), 'am Kai festmachen' (to moor at the quay), or 'am Kai liegen' (to be docked at the quay).
EXAMPLE
Ein großes Containerschiff hat am Kai angelegt.
A large container ship docked at the quay.
Compare with
Kai vs Anleger
investor / pier
Both a „Kai“ and an „Anleger“ allow ships to dock. A „Kai“ is a reinforced waterfront wall used especially for loading and unloading. „Anleger“ more often refers to the specific, frequently smaller structure used for docking and mooring.
Kai
Das Frachtschiff liegt zum Entladen am langen Kai.
The cargo ship is at the long quay to be unloaded.
Anleger
Die Fähre liegt zum Einsteigen am schwimmenden Anleger.
The ferry is at the floating pier for passengers to board.
In real life
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