pier / breakwater
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pier / breakwater
A dam or harbor wall built out from the shore into the sea or a lake, serving as a breakwater or docking place.
Wir sind am Abend auf der Mole spazieren gegangen und haben den Sonnenuntergang beobachtet.
In the evening, we went for a walk on the pier and watched the sunset.
'Die Mole' is not the animal called 'mole' in English. It refers to a harbor wall or dam built out into the water.
Vom Schiff aus konnten wir die Menschen auf der Mole winken sehen.
From the ship, we could see the people waving on the pier.
The prepositions are important: people are 'auf der Mole' (on the pier) when they walk on it. Ships lie 'an der Mole' (at the pier) in order to anchor or unload.
Wir saßen auf der Mole und aßen ein Eis.
We sat on the pier and ate ice cream.
Common activities associated with a 'Mole' (pier / breakwater) are 'spazieren gehen' (to go for a walk), 'angeln' (to fish), or 'den Sonnenuntergang beobachten' (to watch the sunset). Often there is a lighthouse at the end of a pier.
Am Ende der Mole steht ein kleiner Leuchtturm, der den Schiffen den Weg weist.
At the end of the pier stands a small lighthouse that guides the ships.
quay
'der Kai' and 'die Mole' are both connected to harbors and bodies of water and can have to do with ships docking. 'der Kai' is the reinforced waterfront wall where ships lie directly in the harbor, often for loading or unloading. 'die Mole' is more like a dam or wall that extends from the shore out into the water. It often protects the harbor from waves and can sometimes also serve as a docking place. The words can be confused because both can be harbor walls. If it is about the working area directly on the waterfront, 'Kai' fits; if it is about a protective barrier extending out into the water, 'Mole' fits.
Auf der Mole stehen Angler und schauen auf die hohen Wellen.
Anglers are standing on the pier and looking at the high waves.
Wegen des starken Windes bleibt das Schiff noch eine Stunde am Kai.
Because of the strong wind, the ship is staying at the quay for another hour.