01
der Nord
north
The cardinal direction that on a compass corresponds to Earth's magnetic North Pole and is opposite the direction south.
example
Der Wind kommt heute aus Nord.
The wind is coming from the north today.
der Nord
north
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Nord' (north) is a base word for many compounds that refer to the cardinal direction. Examples are 'Nordsee' (North Sea), 'Nordpol' (North Pole), 'Norddeutschland' (northern Germany), or 'nordisch' (Nordic).
EXAMPLE
Wir machen Urlaub in Norddeutschland an der Küste.
We are going on vacation in northern Germany on the coast.
Correct preposition
Certain prepositions are used when specifying directions. You say 'der Wind kommt aus Nord' (the wind comes from the north, origin) and 'wir fahren nach Nord' (we are traveling north, destination). The article is often omitted here.
EXAMPLE
Die Vögel fliegen im Herbst nach Süden und im Frühling wieder nach Nord.
The birds fly south in autumn and north again in spring.
Regional location
To describe the northern part of an area, you use the preposition 'in' with the dative. The form 'im Norden' (in the north) is often preferred.
EXAMPLE
Im Nord des Landes gibt es viele Seen und Wälder.
In the north of the country, there are many lakes and forests.
Compare with
Nord vs Norden
north
'der Norden' and 'der Nord' can both mean the direction north or the northern part of an area. In everyday language, 'der Norden' is usually the more natural form, especially for compass directions and regions: 'im Norden' (in the north), 'in den Norden' (to the north). 'der Nord' sounds shorter and tends to appear in certain fixed or geographical expressions. Learners may confuse the words because they mean almost the same thing. As a simple guideline: in normal sentences, 'der Norden' is almost always the safe choice.
Nord
Der Nord der Stadt ist ruhiger als das Zentrum.
The north of the city is quieter than the center.
Norden
Morgen ziehen dunkle Wolken aus dem Norden heran.
Tomorrow, dark clouds will move in from the north.
In real life
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