01
nah
near / close
Located at a short spatial or temporal distance.
example
Die Bushaltestelle ist ganz nah, nur zwei Minuten zu Fuß.
The bus stop is very close, only two minutes on foot.
nah
near / close
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Special comparison
The comparative forms of 'nah' (near/close) are irregular and are used very frequently: 'näher' (nearer/closer, comparative) and 'am nächsten' (nearest/closest, superlative).
EXAMPLE
Komm bitte ein bisschen näher.
Please come a little closer.
Spatial closeness
To express spatial closeness, 'nah' (near/close) is often used with the preposition 'an' and the dative.
EXAMPLE
Wir wohnen nah an einem großen Park.
We live close to a large park.
Personal closeness
To describe a close personal relationship, you use the expression 'jemandem nah sein' (to be close to someone) or 'jemandem nah stehen' (to be close to someone). The person with whom the relationship exists is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Er steht seinen Großeltern sehr nah.
He is very close to his grandparents.
Fixed expression: nahe gehen
The expression 'jemandem nahe gehen' (to affect someone deeply) means to touch someone emotionally. The person who has the feeling is in the dative. The verb 'gehen' is separable here.
EXAMPLE
Der traurige Film ist mir sehr nahe gegangen.
The sad film affected me deeply.
Fixed expression: nahelegen
The expression 'jemandem etwas nahelegen' (to strongly recommend something to someone) is a polite way to recommend something. The person to whom you recommend something is in the dative. The verb 'legen' is separable here.
EXAMPLE
Ich lege Ihnen nahe, sich gut auf das Gespräch vorzubereiten.
I strongly recommend that you prepare well for the conversation.
Compare with
nah vs weit
far / wide
'weit' and 'nah' both describe a distance, but they mean the opposite. You use 'weit' when the distance is large. You use 'nah' when the distance is small. The words can be confused because both often occur with places, routes, or appointments. Pay attention to the direction of the statement: 'nicht weit' (not far) means almost the same as 'nah'. 'nah' can also refer to time, for example a near upcoming appointment.
nah
Am Telefon sagt sie, dass der Supermarkt ganz nah ist.
On the phone, she says that the supermarket is very close.
weit
Der Arzt wohnt weit von meinen Eltern entfernt.
The doctor lives far away from my parents.
In real life
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