Nächte

Nächte is the plural of Nacht in German and denotes the periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise. It can refer to several separate nights or to the concept of nighttime in a more general sense. In everyday language, Nächte is used when counting nights or highlighting a sequence of nocturnal events, such as a trip, a festival, or a stay.

The noun Nacht comes from Old High German nakht and is cognate with the English night. The plural Nächte is formed with the umlaut and the ending -e, a standard pattern for feminine nouns ending in -t in German.

The definite phrase "die Nächte" means "the nights." Phrases like "in den Nächten" or "jede Nacht" distinguish plural and singular uses. The word often appears in literary and lyrical contexts to emphasize atmosphere, duration, or mystery. It also features in many compound terms such as Nachtleben (nightlife), Nachtreise (night journey), and Nachtarbeit (night shift).

Nights are commonly associated with rest, dreams, secrecy, or danger, depending on context. In German culture and literature, Nächte can evoke romantic or gothic imagery as well as practical concerns of travel and work at night.

See also: Nacht, Nachtleben, Nachtarbeit.