A film or literary genre whose plot is typically set in the western United States during the 19th century and often revolves around cowboys, pioneers, and conflicts.
example
Am Samstagabend schauen wir oft einen alten Western mit Clint Eastwood.
On Saturday evenings, we often watch an old western with Clint Eastwood.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Western' is a loanword from English and refers to the 'Westen' (west) of the USA. Although it ends in '-ern', it does not follow the typical German declension patterns for such endings.
EXAMPLE
Dieser Film ist ein klassischer Western aus den 1950er Jahren.
This film is a classic western from the 1950s.
Typical collocations
In German, 'Western' is often combined with verbs such as 'schauen' (to watch), 'sehen' (to see/watch), or 'drehen' (to shoot/film). Adjectives like 'klassisch' (classic), 'modern' (modern), or 'alt' (old) are also common.
EXAMPLE
Der Regisseur wollte schon immer einen modernen Western drehen.
The director had always wanted to shoot a modern western.
Compounds
The word 'Western' is often used as the head word in compound nouns that refer to subgenres. Well-known examples are 'der Italowestern' (spaghetti western) or 'der Spätwestern' (late western).
EXAMPLE
Der Italowestern war in den 60er und 70er Jahren sehr populär.
The spaghetti western was very popular in the 60s and 70s.