noun
harbor, port
B1
Means 'harbor' or 'port' (place for ships, cargo, passengers). Noun: der Hafen. Plural irregular with vowel change: die Häfen. Declension: genitive des Hafens. Use with prepositions like in/auf/an (e.g., im Hafen). Common collocations: Hafenstadt, Handelshafen. Often used in maritime, trade and city contexts.
Examples
Wir fahren zum Hafen, um das Schiff zu sehen.
We're going to the port to see the ship.
Ich gehe zum Hafen.
I'm going to the harbor.
Der Hafen ist voller Schiffe.
The harbor is full of ships.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture ships docked in a harbor with cranes and warehouses.
Sounds like English 'haven' — a safe place for ships.
der — imagine a male harbor master: 'der Hafen'.
Notes
Hafen is a common word for maritime ports; 'Hafen' can be used for small harbors and large ports depending on context.