# אדמה / קרקע



## albondiga

Hi all,

What's the difference between *אדמה* and *קרקע*?


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## scriptum

*אדמה* means "earth" (more or less)
*קרקע* means "soil" (more or less)


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## Nunty

I would add that קרקע is often used where we would say "ground" in English.


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## albondiga

And would "*אדמה*" typically not be used for "ground", mostly just "earth"?  I guess I just don't use "earth" much ("Earth" yes, "earth" no), so I'm still  somewhat unsure about when to use "*אדמה*"...


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## scriptum

albondiga said:


> And would "*אדמה*" typically not be used for "ground", mostly just "earth"? I guess I just don't use "earth" much ("Earth" yes, "earth" no), so I'm still somewhat unsure about when to use "*אדמה*"...


קרקע consists of אדמה (as well as of other things, such as stones).
קרקע is always under your feet. אדמה could be put into a terrarium.
I hope I am not talking nonsense...


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## albondiga

No, that's not nonsense, that makes very good sense  (although then perhaps קרקע is not best translated as "soil" because soil can be put elsewhere like אדמה...  so I would have קרקע as the "ground" in this case, and אדמה as "earth"/"soil"...  I'm sure it's not always exactly so clear cut, but that's generally what it sounds like to me now...)


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## Nunty

I think Scriptum and Albondiga are both right. (Isn't it lovely when everyone's right?)

Another usage that might shed light is when an aircraft is grounded, מקורקע in Hebrew.


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## Gadyc

scriptum said:


> קרקע is always under your feet. אדמה


 
Hopefully..


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