01
der Nordwest
northwest
The compass direction that lies exactly between north and west.
example
Der Wind kommt heute aus Nordwest.
The wind is coming from the northwest today.
der Nordwest
northwest
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word composition
This word is simply made up of the compass directions 'Nord' (north) and 'West' (west). The meaning can therefore be derived directly from its components.
EXAMPLE
Die Vögel fliegen im Herbst Richtung Südwest, nicht Nordwest.
In autumn, the birds fly toward the southwest, not the northwest.
Adjectival use
'Nordwest' can stand before a noun like an adjective, but it is not declined. It then often forms a compound word.
EXAMPLE
Wir wohnen an der Nordwest-Küste der Insel.
We live on the northwest coast of the island.
Typical prepositions
When referring to the compass direction, origin is often described with 'aus Nordwest' (from the northwest), and direction with 'nach Nordwest' (to the northwest) or 'Richtung Nordwest' (toward the northwest).
EXAMPLE
Der Sturm zog von Nordwest über das ganze Land.
The storm moved from the northwest across the whole country.
Geographic region
When a region is meant, it is often specified more precisely with the genitive or the preposition 'von' (of/from). The region itself is then often referred to as 'der Nordwesten' (the northwest).
EXAMPLE
Der Nordwesten Spaniens ist bekannt für seine grüne Landschaft.
The northwest of Spain is known for its green landscape.
Compare with
Nordwest vs Nordosten
northeast
'der Nordosten' and 'der Nordwest' both belong to the compass directions and can also mean a region within an area. 'der Nordosten' points toward north and east, while 'der Nordwest' points toward north and west. They can be confused because both words start with 'Nord-' and sound very similar as directions. The important part is the ending: 'Osten' means the direction east, while 'West' means the direction west.
Nordwest
Im Nordwest des Landes sind die Sommer meist mild.
In the northwest of the country, summers are usually mild.
Nordosten
Auf der Karte liegt das Dorf im Nordosten der Insel.
On the map, the village is in the northeast of the island.
In real life
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