Kieselsteine
The German word for pebbles is Kieselsteine.
Kieselsteine refers specifically to small, smooth stones.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of Kiesel (gravel/pebble) and Steine (stones).
Which one should you use?
While Kieselsteine refers to small, smooth stones, Steine is the general word for any stones.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form of the plural Kieselsteine is Kieselstein.
Did you know?
- The word Kiesel shares a distant linguistic root with the English word 'silica'. Both derive from the Latin silex, meaning hard stone or flint.
- The word Kiesel is the root for the German word for silica, Kieselsäure. This reflects the geological fact that many smooth pebbles are primarily composed of silicon dioxide.
- German differentiates between Kieselsteine and Geröll. While Kieselsteine are typically smooth and small, Geröll refers to the rough, jagged debris found at the base of a cliff.
Examples in context
- Es gab dort acht Kieselsteine.There were eight pebbles there.This sentence shows how to count the number of Kieselsteine in a location.Tatoeba #926095 by Esperantostern, translation #519715 by blay_paul
- Unser Garten hat viele bunte Steinchen.Our garden has many colorful pebbles.
- Die Ufer des Flusses waren mit Geröll bedeckt.The riverbanks were covered with pebbles.
- Der Weg zum Strand ist mit Kieselsteinen bestreut.The path to the beach is covered with pebbles.
- Die Kieselsteine liegen am Strand.The pebbles are lying on the beach.
- Ich sammle kleine Kieselsteine.I am collecting small pebbles.
Example conversation
Laura and Maximilian are walking along a riverbank.
- LauraSchau mal, hier liegen so viele Kieselsteine!Look, there are so many pebbles here!
- MaximilianDie Kieselsteine sind wirklich sehr glatt.The pebbles are really very smooth.
- LauraSollen wir ein paar davon mitnehmen?Should we take a few of them with us?
- MaximilianJa, das ist eine gute Idee, Laura.Yes, that is a good idea, Laura.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
