refrigerator
Loading your saved state.
refrigerator
An electrical appliance shaped like a cabinet that keeps food and drinks fresh by cooling them.
Stell die Milch bitte zurück in den Kühlschrank, damit sie nicht schlecht wird.
Please put the milk back in the refrigerator so it doesn't go bad.
The word is made up of 'kühl' (cool) and 'der Schrank' (cabinet). So it is literally a 'cool cabinet,' which perfectly describes its function.
Ohne den Kühlschrank würden unsere Lebensmittel schnell verderben.
Without the refrigerator, our food would spoil quickly.
Use 'in' with the accusative for movement ('in den Kühlschrank stellen' — to put into the refrigerator) and with the dative for a position ('im Kühlschrank sein' — to be in the refrigerator). For movement out, 'aus dem Kühlschrank' (from/out of the refrigerator) is used with the dative.
Ich lege den Käse in den Kühlschrank.
I put the cheese in the refrigerator.
Common verbs used in connection with 'Kühlschrank' (refrigerator) are 'öffnen' (to open), 'schließen' (to close), 'einräumen' (to put things into / organize), and 'ausräumen' (to empty out).
Ich muss den Kühlschrank mal wieder ausräumen und putzen.
I really need to empty out and clean the refrigerator again.
freezer compartment
'der Kühlschrank' and 'das Gefrierfach' are both connected with storing food at low temperatures. The 'Kühlschrank' is the whole appliance in which food stays cool, but normally does not freeze. The 'Gefrierfach' is a small separate area in the refrigerator, or its own compartment, where the temperature is below zero degrees. That is where you freeze food. Learners may confuse the words because a 'Gefrierfach' is often part of a 'Kühlschrank'. If something just needs to stay fresh, it goes in the 'Kühlschrank'. If it should freeze solid, it goes in the 'Gefrierfach'.
Maria hat die Milch nach dem Einkauf in den Kühlschrank gestellt.
After shopping, Maria put the milk in the refrigerator.
Das Eis liegt im Gefrierfach, damit es nicht schmilzt.
The ice cream is in the freezer compartment so it doesn't melt.