der  Feldweg

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈfɛltˌveːk/

🛤️ What exactly is a Feldweg?

A Feldweg is a simple, usually unpaved path or track that runs through fields, meadows, or sometimes small wooded areas. It often serves agricultural purposes (landwirtschaftliche Zwecke), providing access to fields for tractors (Traktoren), but it's also used as a path for walkers (Spaziergänger), cyclists (Radfahrer), or horse riders (Reiter). Unlike a paved street (asphaltierte Straße), a Feldweg is typically covered with gravel (Schotter), grass (Gras), or earth (Erde).

The word is masculine, so the correct article is der Feldweg.

Article rules for der, die, and das

A Closer Look at Feldweg Grammar 🔍

The noun "Feldweg" is masculine.

Example Sentences

• Der alte Feldweg führt direkt zum Bauernhof. (The old farm track leads directly to the farm.)
• Wir fuhren mit dem Fahrrad den holprigen Feldweg entlang. (We cycled along the bumpy dirt track.)
• Die Spuren des Traktors waren auf dem matschigen Feldweg deutlich zu sehen. (The tractor's tracks were clearly visible on the muddy field path.)
• Im Sommer sind die Feldwege oft staubig. (In summer, the field paths are often dusty.)
• Am Rande des Feldweges blühten Wildblumen. (Wildflowers bloomed along the edge of the field path.)

When and How to Use "Feldweg"? 🤔

The term Feldweg is used to describe a specific type of path that runs through agricultural or natural areas. Typical use cases:

• Landwirtschaft (Agriculture): Main access route for farmers to their fields (Felder).
• Freizeit (Leisure): Popular with walkers, hikers, cyclists, and horse riders who want to enjoy nature away from paved roads.
• Beschreibung der Landschaft (Landscape Description): Often used in directions or to characterize a rural area (ländliche Gegend).

Distinction from similar terms:

• Straße (Street/Road): Usually paved (asphalt, cobblestone) and intended for general motor vehicle traffic.
• Wanderweg (Hiking Trail): A path specifically marked and maintained for hikers; it can sometimes be a Feldweg but is often narrower or leads through forests (Wälder).
• Trampelpfad (Beaten Path): A very narrow, unpaved path often created by frequent walking. A Feldweg is usually wider.
• Wirtschaftsweg (Farm or Service Road): Similar to Feldweg, often used as a general term for paths primarily serving economic purposes (agriculture, forestry).

⚠️ Be careful: Not every unpaved path is automatically a Feldweg. Paths in a forest are typically called Waldweg (forest path).

Memory Aids for "der Feldweg" 💡

1. Remembering the Article (der):

   Imagine DER farmer (der Bauer) driving his tractor on DER path (der Weg) through the field. Think: Many path-related words in German are masculine (der Weg, der Pfad, der Steig). DER Weg leads through the field = der Feldweg.

2. Remembering the Meaning:

   The word is a simple compound: Feld (field) + Weg (path/way). It's literally a 'field way' or path through a field. Picture a wide Feld and a simple Weg going through it.

Similar and Opposite Terms 🔄

Potentially Confusing Words:

• Waldweg: (Forest Path) A path leading through a forest (Wald), not a field.
• Holzweg: Can mean a path for logging, but idiomatically means 'the wrong track' or 'barking up the wrong tree' ("auf dem Holzweg sein").

A Little Joke by the Wayside 😄

DE: Fragt ein Tourist einen Bauern: "Entschuldigen Sie, führt dieser Feldweg auch nach Hintertupfingen?" Sagt der Bauer: "Ne, der Weg bleibt schön hier liegen. Aber Sie können ihn gerne benutzen, um dorthin zu gehen!"

EN: A tourist asks a farmer: "Excuse me, does this field path also lead to Hintertupfingen (a generic name for a remote village)?" The farmer replies: "Nah, the path stays right here. But you are welcome to use it to go there!"

Ode to the Feldweg 📜

DE: Der Feldweg, still und krumm,
Führt durch das Land, fragt nicht warum.
Mal staubig trocken, mal voll Matsch,
Ein Traktor rumpelt, platsch, platsch, platsch.

Am Rand die Blumen, bunt und klein,
Lädt Radler ein, und Wandersleut' allein.
Er verbindet Wiese, Korn und Klee,
Der alte Feldweg, wunderschön, juchee!

EN: The field path, quiet and bent,
Through the land, its purpose lent.
Sometimes dusty dry, sometimes full of mud,
A tractor rumbles, thud, thud, thud.

Flowers at the edge, colourful and small,
Invites cyclists, and hikers standing tall.
It connects meadow, grain, and clover spree,
The old field path, beautiful, yippee!

A Little Feldweg Riddle 🤔

DE: Ich bin nicht asphaltiert, nicht breit,
Führ' durch die Landschaft, weit und breit.
Der Bauer braucht mich für sein Feld,
Für Spaziergänger bin ich die Welt.
Mal staubig, matschig, selten grad,
Ich bin ein einfacher ...?

Lösung: der Feldweg

EN: I'm not paved, not wide,
I lead through the landscape, far and wide.
The farmer needs me for his field,
For walkers, I'm the world revealed.
Sometimes dusty, muddy, rarely straight,
I am a simple ...?

Solution: der Feldweg (the field path / farm track)

Trivia & Origin 🤓

Word Composition:

The word "Feldweg" is a compound noun (Kompositum), meaning it's made up of two words:

• Das Feld: Meaning 'field', referring to an agricultural or open, non-forested area.
• Der Weg: Meaning 'path', 'way', or 'track', referring to a created or worn route for walking or driving.

Together, the meaning is clear: a path or way that leads through a field (or fields).

Trivia:

• Feldwege are important elements of the cultural landscape (Kulturlandschaft) and often have a long history.
• They can be important biotopes or habitats for plants and animals living along the verges.
• The condition and width of Feldwege can vary greatly, from simple grass tracks to gravel paths or even partially concrete strips (Spurweg).