die  Küste

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈkʏstə/

🌊 What does "Küste" mean?

Die Küste (noun, feminine) refers to the geographical area where the land meets a sea or an ocean. It's the borderline or the strip of land along a sea. Think of it as the coast or shoreline.

In contrast to das Ufer, which refers to the shore of inland waters (lakes, rivers), die Küste is used exclusively for seas.

There's only one article: die. It's always feminine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📚 Grammar of "die Küste" in Detail

The word "Küste" is a feminine noun. Here is its declension:

Example Sentences in German

• Wir verbringen unseren Urlaub an der Küste. (We spend our vacation at the coast.)
• Die Nordsee hat viele schöne Küsten. (The North Sea has many beautiful coasts.)
• Ein Sturm nähert sich der Küste. (A storm is approaching the coast.)
• Der Leuchtturm steht direkt an der Küste. (The lighthouse stands right on the coast.)
• Die Küsten Europas sind sehr vielfältig. (The coasts of Europe are very diverse.)

🗣️ How to use "Küste"?

"Die Küste" is used when talking about the strip of land directly adjacent to a sea or ocean.

• Geography & Travel: Descriptions of landscapes, holiday destinations (e.g., "die italienische Küste" - the Italian coast, "an die Küste fahren" - to travel to the coast).
• Weather Reports: Warnings or forecasts for coastal regions (e.g., "Sturmwarnung für die Küste" - storm warning for the coast).
• Biology & Ecology: Discussing marine habitats or coastal ecosystems (e.g., "Schutz der Küsten" - protection of the coasts).

⚠️ It's important to distinguish it from "das Ufer": "Ufer" is used for rivers and lakes (e.g., "das Rheinufer" - the Rhine bank, "am Ufer des Sees" - on the shore of the lake), while "Küste" refers exclusively to seas.

💡 Mnemonics for "die Küste"

Article Mnemonic: Think of the coast as a beautiful lady (feminine -> die). Perhaps imagine Queen Elizabeth (feminine -> die) taking a stroll along die Küste.

Meaning Mnemonic: "Küste" sounds a bit like the English word "coaster" (like a roller coaster or a drink coaster). Imagine a roller coaster running along the Küste (coast), or placing your drink coaster right where the land meets the sea. 🎢🌊

↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms

🚨 Similar Words: Be careful with "das Ufer" – this refers to rivers and lakes, not seas.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Möwen Seife mit an die Küste?

Damit sie sich die Wellen waschen können! 🧼🌊

(Why do seagulls take soap to the coast? So they can wash the waves!)

📜 Poem about the Coast

Wo Land aufhört und Meer beginnt,
Die Küste, wo der Wind sanft singt.
Salz in der Luft, der Wellen Klang,
Ein Ort der Sehnsucht, lebenslang.
Möwen kreisen, Schiffe zieh'n,
An Deutschlands Küsten, rau und grün.

(Where land ends and sea begins,
The coast, where the wind gently sings.
Salt in the air, the sound of waves,
A place of longing, lifelong.
Seagulls circle, ships pass by,
On Germany's coasts, rough and green.)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin die Grenze, nass und breit,
Wo Land sich trifft mit salz'ger Flut zur Seit'.
Mal Sand, mal Fels, mal grüner Deich,
Bin Ziel der Reise, wunderschön und reich.

Was bin ich?

(I am the border, wet and wide,
Where land meets salty tide.
Sometimes sand, sometimes rock, sometimes green dike,
Am the journey's goal, beautiful and rich alike.

What am I?)

Solution: die Küste (the coast)

✨ Other Information

Compound Words (Wortzusammensetzungen): The word "Küste" forms part of many compound nouns:

• Küstenwache: Coast guard (the authority responsible for safety on the coast).
• Küstenstadt: Coastal town (a town located by the sea).
• Küstennebel: Coastal fog (fog that forms over the sea and moves towards the coast).
• Küstenlinie: Coastline (the precise line where land and sea meet).
• Küstenschutz: Coastal protection (measures to protect the coast from erosion or flooding).

Etymology: The word comes from Middle Low German and Middle Dutch "kuste" or "coste", which in turn derives from the Latin "costa" (rib, side, flank).