monastery
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monastery
A complex of buildings in which members of a religious community (monks or nuns) live together according to fixed rules.
Das alte Kloster auf dem Berg kann besichtigt werden.
The old monastery on the mountain can be visited.
The prepositions 'in' and 'ins' are important. 'Im Kloster leben' (to live in the monastery) describes the location. 'Ins Kloster gehen' (to go into the monastery) can mean entering the building, but often also means becoming a member of the religious order.
Er lebte viele Jahre als Mönch im Kloster.
He lived in the monastery as a monk for many years.
The verb in the sentence often reveals whether the building or the community is meant. Verbs that refer to places (e.g. 'besichtigen' (to tour/visit), 'liegen' (to be located)) point to the building. Verbs that describe actions by people (e.g. 'beten' (to pray), 'entscheiden' (to decide)) point to the community.
Wir haben gestern ein berühmtes Kloster besichtigt.
Yesterday we toured a famous monastery.
When the building is meant, 'Kloster' is often used with verbs such as 'besichtigen' (to tour/visit), 'besuchen' (to visit), 'bauen' (to build), or 'restaurieren' (to restore). Adjectives are often 'alt' (old), 'berühmt' (famous), or 'verlassen' (abandoned).
Das verlassene Kloster wurde zu einem Hotel umgebaut.
The abandoned monastery was converted into a hotel.
abbey
'Kloster' and 'Abtei' both refer to a religious place and also to the community that lives there. 'Kloster' is the more general term: it is where monks or nuns live according to fixed rules. An 'Abtei' is a special type of monastery, namely a monastery led by an abbot or abbess. Learners may confuse the words because in everyday language the building is often what is meant. If you are not specifically talking about the leadership or special status, 'Kloster' is usually the simpler and more general word.
Im Urlaub haben wir ein altes Kloster in den Bergen besucht.
On vacation, we visited an old monastery in the mountains.
Die Abtei wird seit vielen Jahren von einer Äbtissin geleitet.
The abbey has been led by an abbess for many years.