die Küste
coast
The strip of land where the mainland meets a sea, an ocean, or a very large lake.
EXAMPLE
Wir verbringen unseren Urlaub gerne an der Ostsee-Küste.
We like spending our vacation on the Baltic Sea coast.
die Küste
coast
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Meanings
Usage tips
Correct preposition
With 'Küste' (coast), the preposition 'an' is used. To express movement, you use the accusative ('an die Küste fahren' — to go/travel to the coast). To describe a location, you use the dative ('an der Küste sein' — to be on/at the coast).
EXAMPLE
Nächstes Jahr fahren wir wieder an die Küste.
Next year we’re going to the coast again.
Typical collocations
Common activities connected with the coast are 'an der Küste spazieren gehen' (to go for a walk along the coast), 'Urlaub an der Küste machen' (to vacation on the coast), or 'an der Küste entlang fahren' (to drive along the coast).
EXAMPLE
Am Abend gehen wir gern an der Küste entlang spazieren.
In the evening, we like going for a walk along the coast.
Typical adjectives
To describe a coast more precisely, adjectives such as 'steil' (steep), 'flach' (flat), 'felsig' (rocky), or 'sandig' (sandy) are often used.
EXAMPLE
Die Westküste Irlands ist bekannt für ihre steile und felsige Küste.
The west coast of Ireland is known for its steep and rocky coast.
Compare with
Küste vs Strand
beach
Der Strand is the specific, usually flat area of sand or pebbles directly beside the water. Die Küste refers to the larger area where the mainland meets the sea. You lie on the beach to swim and sunbathe; multiple places and landscapes can belong to the coast.
Küste
Wir verbringen die Ferien an der Küste und besuchen dort mehrere Orte.
We are spending our vacation on the coast and visiting several places there.
Strand
Wir verbringen den Nachmittag am flachen, sandigen Strand.
We are spending the afternoon on the flat, sandy beach.
In real life
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