district-free
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district-free
Describes, in the German administrative structure, a city that does not belong to any rural district, but instead performs the duties of a district itself.
München ist eine kreisfreie Stadt in Bayern.
Munich is a district-free city in Bavaria.
The word is made up of 'Kreis' (in this case 'Landkreis' — rural district) and the suffix '-frei' (free). A 'kreisfreie' (district-free) city is therefore literally 'free from a rural district' and administers itself.
Berlin ist nicht nur Hauptstadt, sondern auch eine kreisfreie Stadt.
Berlin is not only the capital, but also a district-free city.
This adjective is used almost exclusively in the fixed phrase 'kreisfreie Stadt' (district-free city). It describes the administrative status of a city in the German administrative structure.
Wie viele kreisfreie Städte gibt es in Nordrhein-Westfalen?
How many district-free cities are there in North Rhine-Westphalia?
The term 'kreisfrei' (district-free) belongs to the technical language of public administration. You encounter it in the news, official documents, or geography and politics lessons.
Für die Zulassung meines Autos musste ich zur Behörde in meiner kreisfreien Stadt.
To register my car, I had to go to the authority in my district-free city.
county seat
'die Kreisstadt' and 'kreisfrei' both belong to German administration, so they can sound somewhat similar. But they do not mean the same thing. A 'Kreisstadt' is the town or city where the administration of a Landkreis (district/county) is based. This town or city normally belongs to a Landkreis. 'kreisfrei', on the other hand, describes a city that does not belong to any Landkreis and takes on many tasks itself. The words can be confused because both have to do with 'Kreis'. Remember: a Kreisstadt is important within a Landkreis; a kreisfreie Stadt stands outside a Landkreis.
Dortmund ist eine kreisfreie Stadt in Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Dortmund is a district-free city in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Für den neuen Pass muss Lisa in die Kreisstadt fahren.
Lisa has to go to the county seat for her new passport.