German · Travel & Getting Around

"East" in German: Osten

der Osten

Say it: OS-tenmasculine · der Ostennoun/ˈɔstn̩/

East in German is der Osten, masculine. Location uses im Osten. Direction uses nach Osten.

Weather

Im Osten bleibt es trocken.
In the east it stays dry.
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How to pronounce Osten

Say it

OS-ten

/ˈɔstn̩/

OS-ten. Short o. Soft final -en.

"East" in German: quick reference

GermanEnglish
der Ostenthe east

Default noun.

im Ostenin the east

Location.

nach Osteneastward / to the east

Direction.

Ostdeutschlandeastern Germany

Region talk.

How to use Osten in real life

  1. 1Weather

    Im Osten bleibt es trocken.

    In the east it stays dry.

    Im Osten.

  2. 2Travel

    Wir fliegen in den Osten.

    We are flying to the east.

    In den Osten.

  3. 3City walk

    Die Altstadt liegt weiter nach Osten.

    The old town lies farther east.

    Nach Osten.

Mistakes English speakers make with Osten

Incorrect: die Osten

Correct: der Osten

Osten is masculine.

Incorrect: zu Osten

Correct: nach Osten / im Osten

Use nach Osten or im Osten.

Good to know

Osten can mean the cardinal direction or, in history talk, eastern Germany. Context usually makes the sense clear.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Reading a city map

  1. ChatPal

    Liegt der Bahnhof im Osten?

    Is the station in the east?

  2. You

    Ja, ganz im Osten der Stadt.

    Yes, right in the east of the city.

  3. ChatPal

    Dann gehen wir nach Osten.

    Then we walk east.

  4. You

    Okay. Der Osten hat auch schöne Cafés.

    Okay. The east has nice cafés too.

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"East" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "East" in German

What gender is Osten?

Masculine: der Osten.

In the east?

Im Osten.

To the east?

Nach Osten / in den Osten.

Eastern Germany?

Ostdeutschland.

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