pack
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pack
A social group of mammals of the same species living together, especially wolves, dogs, or deer.
Ein Rudel Wölfe durchstreifte den winterlichen Wald auf der Suche nach Beute.
A pack of wolves roamed the wintry forest in search of prey.
You can tell from context whether 'Rudel' (pack) refers to animals or people. If it is about wolves or dogs, it means the neutral animal group. If it refers to people, it is colloquial and usually negative.
Ein Rudel Hirsche stand am Waldrand.
A herd of deer stood at the edge of the forest.
The word 'Rudel' (pack) is used only for certain mammal species that live in social groups. The most common are 'ein Rudel Wölfe' (a pack of wolves) and 'ein Rudel Hunde' (a pack of dogs).
Der neue Hund wurde schnell vom Rudel akzeptiert.
The new dog was quickly accepted by the pack.
In connection with animals, 'Rudel' (pack) is often combined with verbs that describe group behavior. Typical phrases are 'im Rudel jagen' (to hunt in a pack), 'im Rudel leben' (to live in a pack), or 'ein Rudel anführen' (to lead a pack).
Löwen leben und jagen im Rudel.
Lions live and hunt in a pride.
When 'Rudel' (pack/bunch) is used for a group of people, it has a colloquial and often derogatory tone. It implies that the group is disorganized, loud, or unpleasant.
Ein ganzes Rudel Touristen blockierte den Gehweg.
A whole bunch of tourists blocked the sidewalk.
pile / bunch
'Haufen' and 'Rudel' can both mean a group, but they do not fit the same situations. 'Rudel' is used mainly for animals, especially wolves, dogs, or deer that live together or move around together. For people, 'Rudel' sounds colloquial and often negative, for example when a group seems loud or threatening. 'Haufen' can also sound derogatory when used for people, and then refers more to a disorganized group. Learners may confuse the words because both sometimes describe a group. As a practical rule: for animals, 'Rudel' is usually more precise; for a chaotic group of people, 'Haufen' is more likely to fit.
Im Wald haben die Wanderer ein Rudel Hirsche gesehen.
In the forest, the hikers saw a herd of deer.
Vor dem Eingang stand ein lauter Haufen Jugendlicher.
A loud bunch of teenagers was standing in front of the entrance.