pond
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pond
A small body of standing water that is often artificially created. A 'Weiher' (pond) is usually smaller and shallower than a lake.
Im Park gibt es einen kleinen Weiher, in dem Enten und Fische leben.
In the park there is a small pond where ducks and fish live.
The word 'Weiher' (pond) is often used as the base word in compounds to describe the function or location of the body of water more precisely. Typical examples are 'Fischweiher' (fish pond), 'Dorfweiher' (village pond), or 'Schlossteich' (castle pond).
Der alte Dorfweiher wird im Winter zum Schlittschuhlaufen genutzt.
The old village pond is used for ice skating in winter.
To describe a location by the pond, you use the preposition 'an' with the dative, often shortened to 'am Weiher' (at/by the pond). When describing movement to that place, you use 'an' with the accusative: 'an den Weiher' (to the pond).
Wir sitzen am Weiher und genießen die Sonne.
We are sitting by the pond and enjoying the sun.
A 'Weiher' (pond) is often a place for relaxation in nature or in a park. Typical verbs used in this context are 'spazieren gehen' (to go for a walk), 'beobachten' (to observe/watch), 'füttern' (to feed), or 'angeln' (to fish).
Am Wochenende gehen viele Familien am Weiher spazieren.
On the weekend, many families go for a walk by the pond.
lake
'der See' and 'der Weiher' both refer to standing water surrounded by land. The most important difference is size, and often depth as well. A lake is normally large and can be very deep. A 'Weiher' is smaller and usually shallower; it was often created by people, for example in a park or garden. Learners may confuse the words because both look like small or large bodies of water. As a simple guideline: for a large body of water used for swimming, sailing, or hiking, people are more likely to say 'See'; for a small body of water in a park or on a property, they are more likely to say 'Weiher'.
Im Park sitzen Enten auf dem kleinen Weiher.
Ducks are sitting on the small pond in the park.
Am Wochenende fahren wir an den See und schwimmen dort.
At the weekend, we are going to the lake and will swim there.