mass of water
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mass of water
A very large amount of water that is located in one place or is moving, such as in an ocean, a large lake, or during a flood.
Die gewaltigen Wassermassen des Hochwassers überfluteten die ganze Stadt.
The enormous masses of water from the flood inundated the entire city.
The word is a simple compound made up of 'Wasser' (water) and 'Masse' (mass). It literally describes a large, indefinite amount of water.
Die Feuerwehr kämpfte gegen die unkontrollierbaren Wassermassen.
The fire department fought against the uncontrollable masses of water.
The base word '-masse' (-mass) is often used to describe a large, often unmanageable amount of something. Other examples of this pattern are 'Menschenmassen' (crowds of people), 'Schneemassen' (masses of snow), or 'Erdmassen' (masses of earth).
Die Schneemassen blockierten die Straßen in den Bergen.
The masses of snow blocked the roads in the mountains.
The word is very often used in the plural ('Wassermassen', masses of water), especially in the context of natural disasters such as floods or tsunamis. Typical adjectives are 'gewaltig' (enormous), 'enorm' (huge), or 'riesig' (gigantic).
Gewaltige Wassermassen strömten durch das Tal.
Enormous masses of water rushed through the valley.
body of water
Gewässer and Wassermasse can refer to water in a particular place. Gewässer refers to the distinct natural body of water, while Wassermasse refers to the large amount or volume of water in it. Use Gewässer for the place and Wassermasse for the abundance or movement of the water.
Nach dem starken Regen bewegte sich eine große Wassermasse in den See.
After the heavy rain, a large mass of water moved into the lake.
Der große See ist ein beliebtes Gewässer für Wassersportler.
The large lake is a popular body of water for water sports enthusiasts.
