Saturday, March 10, 2012

In German, Is the word "der Marktplatz" synonym of "der Markt"? What is the difference?

Tell me where you are from, please. (I am Brazilian)

Please, do NOT use electronic translators, such as Google Translator.



1. What does "der Marktplatz" mean? Describe it, please.

2. What does "der Markt" mean? Describe it, please.



3. Is the word "der Marktplatz" synonym of "der Markt"? What is the difference?

4. If they are synonym, which one is used the most?|||In order to answer this question properly you have take into account that cities and towns in Germany were not planned but grew over hundreds of years.

1. The center of such towns was always the marketplace (Marktplatz or Markt). Around the marketplace there were (and there are still) all important things like the city hall, banking houses, churches, important shops, monuments, palaces.

Marktplatz Bremen: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremer_Mark鈥?/a>

Marktplatz Coburg: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marktplatz_鈥?/a>

Officially that place is called "Marktplatz" but most people use to say "Markt".

2. On these marketplaces open-air markets (Markt, plural M盲rkte) take place several times a week (in small towns once a week). There you can buy vegetables, meat, flowers, clothes, bread, cheese, milk, eggs and whatever they offer, sometimes pets or other animals. People come from far away sometimes to sell their products. Some farmers are every day on a different "Markt".

Some hundred years ago the most important trade was those with animals (cows, horses). Nowadays those markets don't take place in the middle of the cities.

Some cities constructed market halls (Markthallen) for trades.

When talking about supermarkets we never would say "Markt". "Markt" is always something happening outside.

3. When you speak from the place "Marktplatz" and "Markt" are synonyms. If you talk about the open-air markets they are not.

4. "Markt" is used most because it's used for both things.



Imagine the following situation. You are in a German city and ask someone "Wo ist der Markt?". The person will give you a detailed description of the way to reach the "Marktplatz" and will not give you explanations if market is taking place today or not.|||I may be wrong, but from what I understand, "Markt" can be used for several different things as in Supermarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, ect



Markt would be a generic term for market, while Marktplatz is a specific area of the city designated to open-air markets. So if I'm right, you could use Markt in exchange for Marktplatz, but not always Marktplatz in exchange for Markt...Does that make any sense?|||I'm from England but i'm fluent in German .



Der Marktplatz is a market place a specific area for a market to be situated in a town or village.

Der Markt is a market such as a supermarket etc .



I use Der Markt more i'd even say Wo ist der Markt .. for where is the market . Unless I wanted a specific over market with many little shops.

Hope that helps a bit :)|||1 it's the place where the market usually takes place



2 it's the where and when people offer things for sale



3 no



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