der Untergrund
Translation
underground, subsoil, background, resistance movement
Examples
Der Untergrund der Stadt ist instabil.
The city's subsoil is unstable.
Er arbeitete im politischen Untergrund.
He worked in the political underground.
Grammar Patterns
in the underground (im Untergrund) to operate in the underground The group operated in the underground.
Similar Words
Synonyms: Boden (soil), Substrat (substrate); Widerstandsbewegung (resistance movement)
Etymology
From 'unter' (under) + 'Grund' (ground). Literally 'under-ground'.
Memory Tips
Think of the London 'Underground' or a political 'underground' movement. The German word covers both the physical and figurative senses.