Do we use nach always for all destinations among countries, except for Switzerland and Turkey (in die Schweiz, in die Türkei)?
Is there any other exception where we don’t use nach with the sense of to?
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Armin
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3Related, if not a duplicate http://german.stackexchange.com/questions/8479/richtungen-und-ziele-wir-fahren-nach-in-zu-an-artikel-xyz – c.p. Dec 24 '16 at 18:47
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thanks @c.p. for that versatile reference, but I mean a precise answer only for " nach" in the sense of "toward". – Armin Dec 24 '16 at 20:04
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The linked question is in German, this one is in English. Hence, they are not duplicates (albeit related). – Jan Dec 25 '16 at 10:57
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Neither means toward. – Carsten S Dec 25 '16 at 15:33
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Toward sagt man im Deutschen gar nicht. – user unknown Dec 25 '16 at 21:33
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Well, I am not a native English speaker, but to me, toward and to mean different things. – Carsten S Dec 25 '16 at 22:03
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Additionally, you sometimes could say "Wir fahren gen Osten [hin]" ;) – Jens Dec 26 '16 at 02:14
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If the place name has an article, you use in or zu. If not, nach. It isn't limited to countries. The real question has to be what's the rule about place names and articles. Hint: there isn't one, but many, many and for countries, you have to learn them one by one.
Places used with an article:
Wir fahren in die Niederlande.
Ich fahre in den Harz.
Sie geht ins Museum.
Ich fahre zum Supermarkt.
Ich gehe in den Supermarkt.
Places used without an article:
Wir fahren nach Dänemark.
Ich fahre nach Berlin.
Sie geht nach oben.
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1The rule is of course that you use an article unless the country is neuter, but that only shifts the problem. – Carsten S Dec 25 '16 at 15:35
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In die Dominikanische Republik, in die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, in die BRD, in die DDR, in die ... Republik ganz allgemein, auf die ...insel(n), in den Kongo, ... – user unknown Dec 31 '16 at 14:04