neighborhood / entertainment district
Loading your saved state.
neighborhood
A city neighborhood or a smaller, manageable part of a district with its own character and a strong sense of community, especially in Berlin and northern Germany.
Sie wohnt in einem lebendigen Kiez in Kreuzberg mit vielen Cafés und kleinen Läden.
She lives in a lively neighborhood in Kreuzberg with many cafés and small shops.
'Kiez' is a colloquial term used mainly in Berlin and northern Germany. In southern Germany or Austria, the word is uncommon.
Er kennt jeden in seinem Kiez.
He knows everyone in his neighborhood.
The meaning depends strongly on the city. In Berlin, 'Kiez' means a residential neighborhood. In Hamburg, 'der Kiez' is a fixed term for the St. Pauli entertainment district.
In Berlin hat jeder Kiez seinen eigenen Charakter.
In Berlin, every neighborhood has its own character.
When 'Kiez' describes a residential neighborhood, it is often combined with possessive pronouns to express a personal connection. Typical phrases are 'mein Kiez' (my neighborhood), 'unser Kiez' (our neighborhood), or 'im Kiez leben' (to live in the neighborhood).
Sie fühlt sich in ihrem Kiez sehr wohl.
She feels very comfortable in her neighborhood.
When referring to Hamburg's entertainment district, the preposition 'auf' is used. You go 'auf den Kiez' or celebrate 'auf dem Kiez'.
Gestern Abend waren wir auf dem Kiez etwas trinken.
Yesterday evening we went for drinks in the entertainment district.
area
'Gegend' and 'Kiez' can both mean a place or surroundings. 'Gegend' is very general and can refer to a city, a village, a landscape, or the surroundings of a place. 'Kiez' is narrower and more colloquial. It usually means a specific city neighborhood with its own character and a feeling of community, especially in Berlin and northern Germany. In Hamburg, 'Kiez' can also mean an entertainment or red-light district. Learners may confuse the words because both talk about places. For neutral descriptions, 'Gegend' fits; for a lively urban neighborhood with a local atmosphere, 'Kiez' is better.
Ali kennt in seinem Kiez fast jeden Laden und viele Nachbarn.
Ali knows almost every shop and many neighbors in his neighborhood.
In dieser Gegend gibt es viele kleine Seen und ruhige Wege.
There are many small lakes and quiet paths in this area.