German word

City

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈsɪti/

Meaning

  • feminine noundowntown

Example

In der City gibt es viele Cafés.

There are many cafés downtown.

Illustration for City (downtown)

More examples

Das Festival findet mitten in der City statt.

The festival takes place in the middle of downtown.

Core concept

The commercial and leisure heart of a larger town, rather than its entire built-up area.

Common phrases

  • mitten in der City

    in the middle of downtown

  • durch die City gehen

    walk through downtown

  • die City besuchen

    visit downtown

Similar words

Innenstadt: The area inside the city where shopping and leisure activities are concentrated.
Stadtzentrum: The most central area, containing key commercial and administrative facilities.
Altstadt: The historic old town, marked by preserved buildings and narrow streets.
Zentrum: A general name for a city's central area.

Definition in German

ein innerstädtischer Bereich, in dem Handel, Gastronomie und Freizeitangebote konzentriert sind

Word origin

City entered German from English city and retains a historical connection to Latin civitas through the Romance form cite.

Usage tips

  • English city usually corresponds to German Stadt; German City commonly refers specifically to the central commercial area.

Opposites

  • Peripherieoutskirtsnoun
  • Vorortsuburbnoun

Related words

  • Cityteildowntown districtnoun
  • Cityzentrumcity centernoun

Word lists with this word