das Schelf
Translation
continental shelf
Examples
Viele Fische leben im flachen Schelf.
Many fish live on the shallow continental shelf.
Die Firma sucht im Schelf nach Erdgas.
The company is searching for natural gas on the continental shelf.
Grammar Patterns
im Schelf [location] on the continental shelf They are drilling for oil on the continental shelf.
Similar Words
Synonym: der Kontinentalschelf; (for furniture): das Regal, das Bord
Etymology
From Middle Low German 'schelf'. Cognate with the English word 'shelf'.
Memory Tips
Looks and sounds almost identical to 'shelf', but in modern German, it primarily refers to the geological 'continental shelf'. For a bookshelf, use 'das Regal'.