01
der Norden
north
One of the four main compass directions, opposite south. On a map, north is usually at the top.
example
Der Wind kommt heute aus Norden.
The wind is coming from the north today.
der Norden
north
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Important prepositions
The prepositions change depending on usage: 'im Norden' (in the north; position), 'nach Norden' (northward/to the north; direction), 'in den Norden' (to the north; travel to the region), and 'aus dem Norden' (from the north; origin).
EXAMPLE
Hamburg liegt im Norden von Deutschland.
Hamburg is located in the north of Germany.
Word family
'Norden' is the basis for the adjective 'nördlich' (northern) and the adverbial phrase 'nördlich von' (north of). These words help describe a position more precisely.
EXAMPLE
Die nördlichste Stadt Deutschlands ist Flensburg.
The northernmost city in Germany is Flensburg.
Use without an article
In combination with the prepositions 'nach' (to; direction) and 'aus' (from; origin), 'Norden' is often used without an article when referring to the compass direction.
EXAMPLE
Die Vögel fliegen im Frühling wieder nach Norden.
The birds fly north again in spring.
Compare with
Norden vs Osten
east
'der Osten' and 'der Norden' are both cardinal directions and can also refer to parts of an area. But they are not the same: 'der Osten' lies in the direction of the sunrise, while 'der Norden' is at the top on a normal map. They are easy to confuse because both often appear in similar sentences, for example 'im Osten von Deutschland' (in the east of Germany) or 'im Norden von Deutschland' (in the north of Germany). The direction is important: east belongs to the right on many maps, while north belongs to the top.
Norden
Elif war im Norden am Meer, nicht im Osten bei der Grenze.
Elif was in the north by the sea, not in the east near the border.
Osten
Der Osten des Landes ist im Winter oft sehr kalt.
The east of the country is often very cold in winter.
In real life
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