der  Nordwesten

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈnɔʁtˌvɛstn̩/

🧭 What does "der Nordwesten" mean?

Der Nordwesten is a masculine noun (hence 'der') primarily signifying a cardinal direction: northwest. It's the direction precisely between Nord (north) and West (west).

It can also refer to a geographical region located in the northwestern part of a specific area (e.g., a country, continent). For example, 'der Nordwesten Deutschlands' means 'the northwest of Germany'.

Since there's only one article (der), there's no risk of confusion regarding meaning based on the article. ⚠️ Be aware that cardinal directions in German are often capitalized when used as nouns.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "der Nordwesten" in Detail

The word 'Nordwesten' is a masculine noun. It is mostly used in the singular when referring to the abstract cardinal direction. The plural ('die Nordwesten') can occur when talking about different northwestern regions, but this is rare.

Declension (Singular):

Declension (Plural - rare):

📝 Example Sentences

1. Der Wind weht aus dem Nordwesten.
   (The wind blows from the northwest.)
2. Wir fahren in den Nordwesten des Landes.
   (We are driving to the northwest of the country.)
3. Seattle liegt im Nordwesten der USA.
   (Seattle is located in the Northwest of the USA.)
4. Der Kompass zeigt nach Nordwesten.
   (The compass points northwest. - Often used without an article when indicating pure direction.)

🗺️ How to use "Nordwesten"?

As a cardinal direction: Often used with prepositions like 'aus' (from), 'nach' (to, towards), 'in' (in, into) to indicate direction or origin. Example: "Die Wolken ziehen aus dem Nordwesten heran." (The clouds are approaching from the northwest.) Sometimes used without an article, e.g., on compasses or in weather reports: "Windrichtung Nordwest bis Nordwesten." (Wind direction northwest.)

As a geographical region: Refers to a part of a larger area. Often used with the genitive case or 'von' (of): "Der Nordwesten von Spanien ist bekannt für seine grüne Landschaft." (The northwest of Spain is known for its green landscape.) or "Wir erkunden den Nordwesten Deutschlands." (We are exploring the northwest of Germany.)

Abbreviation: The common abbreviation is NW.

Distinction from adjectives/adverbs: 'Nordwestlich' is the corresponding adjective/adverb. Example: "Die Stadt liegt nordwestlich von hier." (The city lies northwest of here.) vs. "Die Stadt liegt im Nordwesten." (The city lies in the northwest.)

💡 Mnemonics for "der Nordwesten"

Remembering the article ('der'): Imagine Der Commander pointing his compass needle towards the Nordwesten. Commanders are typically masculine (der).

Remembering the meaning: Think of the English directions North and Westen. Combine them: Nordwesten. It's literally 'North-West'.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar Words:

• nordwestlich: Adjective/adverb (e.g., die nordwestliche Region - the northwestern region, nordwestlich gelegen - located northwest). Don't confuse it with the noun 'der Nordwesten'.

😄 A Little Directional Joke

Fragt ein Tourist einen Einheimischen: "Entschuldigen Sie, wie komme ich am schnellsten nach Nordwesten?"
Der Einheimische: "Gehen Sie nach Norden und dann immer leicht links!" 😉

Translation:
A tourist asks a local: "Excuse me, what's the quickest way to get to the northwest?"
The local: "Go north and then always slightly left!" 😉

📜 Poem about the Northwest

Wo Sonne sinkt und kühler Wind
Aus Nordwesten oft beginnt,
Da liegt die Richtung, klar und rein,
Zwischen Nord und West soll sie sein.
Ein Landstrich manchmal, rau und schön,
Wo Möwen kreischen, Wellen dröhnen,
Der Nordwesten, mal nah, mal fern,
Zeigt uns den Weg, den folgen wir gern.

Translation:
Where sun descends and cool wind
From the Northwest often begins,
There lies the direction, clear and pure,
Between North and West it shall endure.
A region sometimes, rough and beautiful,
Where seagulls cry, waves roar plentiful,
The Northwest, sometimes near, sometimes far,
Shows us the way, we gladly follow its star.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich liege zwischen links und oben,
wer Karten liest, wird mich loben.
Bin weder Nord noch ganz West,
doch gebe Richtungen den Rest.

Was bin ich?(Auflösung: Der Nordwesten)

Translation:
I lie between left and above,
Those who read maps will praise me with love.
I'm neither North nor fully West,
But give direction to the rest.

What am I?(Answer: Der Nordwesten / The Northwest)

✨ More about the Word

Word Composition

The word Nordwesten is a compound noun (Kompositum), formed from:

• Nord(en): The cardinal direction North.
• Westen: The cardinal direction West.

So, it literally means the direction or area resulting from these two base directions.

Trivia

In many cultures, the northwest is associated with specific elements or qualities, often related to wind, weather, or the transition from day to night (sunset occurs in the northwest during summer in the Northern Hemisphere).