counter / bar
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bar
A long, high counter in a bar, café, or restaurant where drinks are served or guests are attended to.
Er bestellte sich an der Theke ein Bier und suchte dann einen freien Tisch.
He ordered a beer at the bar and then looked for a free table.
counter
A counter or desk in a shop, medical practice, hotel, or public office that separates the customer area from the employees' work area.
Bitte geben Sie Ihre Unterlagen an der Theke bei der Anmeldung ab.
Please hand in your documents at the counter at registration.
With 'Theke' (counter/bar), the preposition 'an' is almost always used. For a position, use the dative ('an der Theke'); for movement toward it, use the accusative ('an die Theke').
Er saß den ganzen Abend allein an der Theke.
He sat alone at the bar all evening.
The context makes clear what kind of 'Theke' (counter/bar) is meant. In a bar or restaurant, it is the counter for drinks. In a shop, hotel, or medical practice, it is the sales or reception counter.
In der Metzgerei bat ich die Dame hinter der Theke um 200 Gramm Schinken.
At the butcher's, I asked the woman behind the counter for 200 grams of ham.
In a bar or café, you can 'an der Theke sitzen/stehen' (sit/stand at the bar), 'etwas an der Theke bestellen' (order something at the bar), or observe how the bartender 'hinter der Theke arbeitet' (works behind the bar).
Ich bestelle die Getränke direkt an der Theke.
I'll order the drinks directly at the bar.
In the context of shops, 'Theke' (counter) is often part of compound words that describe the purpose more precisely, e.g. 'Käsetheke' (cheese counter), 'Fleischtheke' (meat counter), 'Fischtheke' (fish counter), or 'Verkaufstheke' (sales counter).
An der Käsetheke gibt es heute ein Sonderangebot.
There is a special offer at the cheese counter today.
switch / counter
Schalter and Theke can both refer to a place where customers are served. Schalter is especially suitable for a formal service point, such as in a bank or at a train station. Theke usually refers to an open, often longer service area, for example in a hotel or shop.
An der Theke im Hotel holt Maria ihren Zimmerschlüssel ab.
Maria picks up her room key at the hotel counter.
Am Schalter im Bahnhof kauft Maria eine Fahrkarte.
Maria buys a ticket at the counter at the train station.
