Gemüse vs Kohlgemüse
German word comparison
Listen to Gemüse
Listen to Kohlgemüse
| Gemüse | Kohlgemüse |
|---|---|
geh-MYOO-zeh noun | KOL-goh-MYOO-zeh noun |
| vegetables; edible plants or plant parts eaten as food | cabbage vegetables; brassica vegetables |
How they differ
This is much narrower than "Gemüse": it names a subgroup of vegetables, especially cabbage-family vegetables such as cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts. It cannot replace "Gemüse" in a general sense because it refers only to that specific category.
When to use each
When to use Gemüse: Use "Gemüse" when you mean vegetables as a whole.
When to use Kohlgemüse: Use "Kohlgemüse" when you specifically mean cabbage-family vegetables.
Side-by-side examples
- Ich mag Gemüse sehr gern.
(I like vegetables very much.) - Kohlgemüse ist im Winter besonders beliebt.
(Cabbage vegetables are especially popular in winter.)
Register & nuance: "Kohlgemüse" is neutral but specialized, and it is more common in cooking, nutrition, or produce classification than in casual talk.