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Can I just say 'city'? I'm about to go into my German oral exam and I want to say "Lincoln is one of the smallest cities in Britain". I can't say 'Stadte' since it isn't one of the smallest towns and I can't say 'Grossstadte' because then I'd be saying "Lincoln is one of the smallest big towns" which is absurd!
But would I get away with saying 'cities' in my oral? : S

2007-09-04 21:47:49 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Languages

Why can't people understand my question?
Lincoln is not one of the smallest towns. It is one of the smallest cities! I take it from your answers that this phrase is not translateable, and it's very unfortunate that the word 'city' means something different in German...

2007-09-04 23:38:24 · update #1

12 answers

The right translation for "Lincoln is one of the smallest cities in Britain" would be - as crazy that might sound - "Lincoln ist eine der kleinsten Großstädte in England."

Town = Stadt
City = Großstadt

Good luck for your exam,
Ariella

2007-09-05 00:10:31 · answer #1 · answered by Ariella W 1 · 2 0

Ok, if I understood it right (which I'm not sure of) what you want to say is:
"Lincoln ist eine der kleinsten Grossstaedte in Gross Brittanien." (City means Grossstadt in English, I guess)
Well, to me this does make a lot sense, it's one of the biggest towns there but out of these it's one of the smallest....
And it's correct to use it that way in German...

Edit: so close...

2007-09-05 00:14:03 · answer #2 · answered by Morelen - inactive 7 · 0 1

hi,

u must b really confused with all this answers...lol!

1. city, is not a german word at all ( like some ppl think)!

2. look like not many ppl do really understand ur question!

3. everyone is saying something else!

my advice, just use town ( stadt )!!!

town is used 4 STADT. the only difference we make is, großstadt or kleinstadt ( big or small town). than it cary on with dorf or gemeinde (village)....bla, bla...

by the way, young- german use city 4 zentrum what means
centre.

2007-09-06 08:15:49 · answer #3 · answered by ♡uǝǝןıǝ♡ en plena florasión 6 · 0 1

hi,

i'm german and i'd simply say: Lincoln ist eine der kleinsten Städte Großbritanniens.
"die city" = the old town, the center of a town, and often also: the economic center of a town... so you can't use it.
"Stadt" is the basic word for town/city etc...

2007-09-04 22:08:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4 1

It might not sound completely absurd to say it's one of the smallest "bigtowns". Zurich calls itself (in English) "the little big city). But I think it's clear from the responses that your point is not too too clear (even in English), so maybe something like "Lincoln is a city (Grossstadte) but just barely.)

2007-09-04 23:58:27 · answer #5 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 0 1

Stadt in German means town and city. Feel free to use it!

2007-09-04 22:33:21 · answer #6 · answered by Orla C 7 · 3 1

Stadt is fine.

Lincoln ist eine der kleinsten Städte Englands. Would be correct.


Stadt means City.
Hamburg ist eine Großstadt.
Hamburg ist eine der schönsten Städte Deutschlands.

Dorf is town.

2007-09-04 21:58:29 · answer #7 · answered by faewhisper 4 · 3 2

that isn't correct you can say the following
Lincoln ist eine Stadt, eine den kleinsten Städten in England

Stadt = town what's the big between town / city the examiner will only care that your German is correct

2007-09-04 22:02:34 · answer #8 · answered by lizzie 5 · 1 3

In Germany we use the word "City" for "Innenstadt", that is the center of a large town.
"Eine der kleinsten Städte" is the best translation.

2007-09-04 22:51:46 · answer #9 · answered by mejxu 7 · 3 0

just use stadt? thats a direct translation for city or town...

2007-09-04 23:09:09 · answer #10 · answered by mrzwink 7 · 1 1

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