der Ost
east
The cardinal direction east. Often used in geographical, meteorological, or political contexts.
EXAMPLE
Die Fenster unseres Schlafzimmers gehen nach Ost.
Our bedroom windows face east.
der Ost
east
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Meanings
der Ost
east wind
A term for the wind coming from the east.
EXAMPLE
Der kalte Ost brachte trockene Luft mit sich.
The cold east wind brought dry air with it.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Ost' (east) is the basis for many geographical terms. It is found as the first part in compound words such as 'Osteuropa' (Eastern Europe), 'Ostsee' (Baltic Sea), or 'Ostküste' (east coast).
EXAMPLE
Die Ostsee ist ein beliebtes Urlaubsziel in Norddeutschland.
The Baltic Sea is a popular vacation destination in northern Germany.
Use as a direction
As a cardinal direction, 'Ost' (east) is often used without an article after prepositions such as 'nach' (to/toward), 'aus' (from), or 'gegen' (against/toward). This is typical when giving directions, especially in seafaring or meteorology.
EXAMPLE
Das Schiff fährt genau nach Ost.
The ship is sailing due east.
Context clue
When 'Ost' (east/east wind) refers to the wind, it almost always appears with the definite article 'der'. The cardinal direction, by contrast, is often used without an article after a preposition.
EXAMPLE
Der scharfe Ost brachte uns sehr kalte Tage.
The sharp east wind brought us very cold days.
Compare with
Ost vs Osten
east
Osten and Ost can refer to the same cardinal direction. Osten is the neutral standard form in everyday language. As a noun, Ost is more marked and occurs mainly in technical or elevated contexts.
Ost
Auf der Seekarte ist der Ost deutlich markiert.
East is clearly marked on the nautical chart.
Osten
Am Morgen fahren wir weiter nach Osten.
In the morning, we will continue eastward.
In real life
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