wilderness
Loading your saved state.
wilderness
A large area untouched and uninhabited by humans, with natural landscapes such as forests, deserts, or mountains.
Sie machten eine mehrwöchige Wanderung durch die kanadische Wildnis.
They went on a several-week hike through the Canadian wilderness.
'Die Wildnis' (the wilderness) is derived from the adjective 'wild' (wild). The ending '-nis' forms a noun that describes the state or place characterized by the adjective.
Sein Traum ist es, einmal allein in der Wildnis zu leben.
His dream is to live alone in the wilderness someday.
The word 'Wildnis' (wilderness) is used almost exclusively in the singular, because it describes a general concept or a large, continuous area. The plural 'die Wildnisse' is very rare and rather poetic.
Die Wildnis ist kein Ort für unerfahrene Wanderer.
The wilderness is no place for inexperienced hikers.
Pay attention to the case after the preposition 'in': 'in die Wildnis' (into the wilderness; direction, accusative) describes movement there, while 'in der Wildnis' (in the wilderness; location, dative) describes staying there.
Er zog für ein Jahr in die Wildnis.
He moved into the wilderness for a year.
wild
Wildnis and Wildbahn both refer to nature outside human control. Wildnis is a large, untouched, uninhabited area, while Wildbahn refers to the natural habitat of wild animals. Wildbahn is appropriate for an animal's life, while Wildnis is more suitable for a remote landscape.
Die Wanderer verbrachten mehrere Tage ohne Häuser in der Wildnis.
The hikers spent several days in the wilderness, without any houses around.
Die Rehe suchen in der Wildbahn nach Nahrung und Schutz.
The deer look for food and shelter in the wild.
