noun

der Platz, ¨-e

seat · space · square

Ein Bereich, an dem Menschen sich aufhalten oder treffen können, oft draußen in einer Stadt.

Definition & meaning

Platz has several related meanings:

A place or spot — a particular location where something is or happens.
Der Platz am Fenster ist frei. means “The place by the window is free.”
A square or open public area — especially in a town or city.
Room or space — the available capacity for someone or something.
Im Auto ist noch Platz. means “There’s still room in the car.”
A seat or position — a place to sit or stand. In a competition, it can also mean a finishing position or rank.
A place in a team, institution, or event — for example, an available spot on a course or in a team.

As a command, Platz! means “Lie down!” or “Down!”, especially when addressing a dog.

Grammar & Word origin

Platz is a masculine noun: der Platz. Its plural is die Plätze, with an umlaut. The usual genitive form is des Platzes.

The word is not made up of smaller German word parts. It comes through Old High German and Middle High German from Latin platea, meaning a broad street or open space.

Synonyms & antonyms

The best synonym depends on the meaning:

Ort means a place or location more generally; Platz can suggest a specific spot, open area, seat, or available space.
Stelle means a particular point or position, often more precisely than Platz.
Sitz means a seat; it is narrower than Platz, which can refer to a seat or to space more broadly.
Quadrat is not a synonym for a public square; the relevant word is Platz. (No direct synonym is needed for this meaning.)

There is no single antonym for Platz. For a seat or space, frei and besetzt describe opposite states: available versus occupied. They are not opposites of the noun itself.