der  Parkplatz

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/paʁkˈplats/

🚗 What exactly is a Parkplatz?

A Parkplatz (masculine, article: der) refers to an area designated for parking vehicles, especially cars, for a certain period. This can be a single marked spot (eine Parklücke - a parking bay/space) or a larger facility with many spaces (ein Parkhaus - a multi-storey car park or a large offener Parkplatz - open parking lot).

• Single spot: "Ich suche einen freien Parkplatz in dieser Straße." (I'm looking for a free parking space on this street.)
• Larger area: "Der Supermarkt hat einen großen Parkplatz für seine Kunden." (The supermarket has a large parking lot for its customers.)

It's a compound noun made from "parken" (to park) and "Platz" (space, place, square).

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar in Detail: Der Parkplatz

The noun "Parkplatz" is masculine. Here is its declension:

Declension Singular

*The dative ending "-e" (Parkplatze) is dated but may still appear.

Declension Plural

💡 Example Sentences

1. Ist dieser Parkplatz noch frei? (Is this parking space still free?)
2. Die Gebühr für den Parkplatz ist ziemlich hoch. (The fee for the parking space is quite high.)
3. Wir treffen uns auf dem Parkplatz vor dem Kino. (We'll meet in the parking lot in front of the cinema.)
4. Ich habe endlich einen Parkplatz gefunden! (I finally found a parking space!)
5. Die meisten Parkplätze in der Innenstadt sind kostenpflichtig. (Most parking spaces in the city center require payment.)
6. Wo sind hier die nächsten Behindertenparkplätze? (Where are the nearest disabled parking spaces here?)

🚦 When and How to Use 'Parkplatz'?

The term "Parkplatz" is very common and used constantly in everyday life when talking about parking vehicles.

• In daily life: When looking for a place to leave your car ("Wo ist der nächste Parkplatz?" - Where is the nearest parking lot/space?).
• Official designations: On signs, in parking garages, on maps ("Parkplatz P3", "Kundenparkplatz" - customer parking).
• Distinctions: Sometimes a distinction is made between "Parkplatz" (often an open area), "Parkhaus" (a multi-storey car park building), or "Tiefgarage" (underground parking). "Parklücke" or "Stellplatz" usually refers to a single spot within a larger parking area or along the roadside.
• Compounds: The word is often part of longer words like Dauerparkplatz (long-term parking), Kurzzeitparkplatz (short-term parking), Frauenparkplatz (women's parking space), Behindertenparkplatz (disabled parking space), Parkplatzmangel (lack of parking spaces), Parkplatzsuche (search for parking).

⚠️ Avoid confusion: Ein "Park" is a green area for recreation, not a place to park cars (although there might be parking spaces at the park).

🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Parkplatz'

Article Mnemonic: Think of der Platz (the place, the square). A Parkplatz is a specific type of Platz, and "Platz" is masculine. So: der Platz -> der Parkplatz.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine driving your car, needing a place to park it. Where do you do that? On the Park-Platz! The word tells you its meaning.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Park (der): A park (green area).
• Platz (der): Can mean many things (place, space, square), not just for parking.

😄 A Little Joke

German: Warum nehmen Skelette keine Parkplätze weg?

Weil sie keinen Body haben, den sie irgendwo abstellen müssten! 😉

English: Why don't skeletons take away parking spots?

Because they have no body to leave anywhere! 😉 (Pun on 'body' meaning physical body and car body)

📜 Parking Lot Poetry

German:
Wo Autos ruh'n, in Reih und Glied,
Ein jeder hofft, dass er ihn kriegt.
Mal eng, mal breit, mal sonnenklar,
Der Parkplatz, wunderbar! Man sucht und kurvt, es braucht Geduld,
Trägt ungern eine Strafzettel-Schuld.
Drum freut sich jeder, ist er da,
Der freie Platz, Hurra!

English Translation:
Where cars rest, in rank and file,
Everyone hopes to get one for a while.
Sometimes narrow, sometimes wide, sometimes clear in the sun,
The parking space, wonderfully done!
You search and turn, patience you need,
Reluctant to bear a parking ticket deed.
So everyone's happy when it's there,
The empty spot, Hurrah, beyond compare!

❓ Riddle Time

German:
Ich habe Linien, aber zeichne nicht.
Ich biete Raum, doch spreche nicht.
Autos stehen auf mir still,
weil der Fahrer es so will.

Was bin ich? ... Der Parkplatz

English Translation:
I have lines, but do not draw.
I offer space, but speak no lore.
Cars stand still upon my face,
Because the driver wills that space.

What am I?
... A parking space / parking lot (Der Parkplatz)

🧩 More about the Parkplatz

Word Composition:

The word "Parkplatz" is a compound noun, made up of:

• parken: The verb for parking a vehicle. It originally comes from military contexts (artillery park) and entered German via English/French.
• Platz (der): A place, space, area, or square.

Trivia:

• The size of parking spaces in Germany is often regulated by state building codes (e.g., Garagenverordnungen) to ensure sufficient room for getting in and out.
• The search for a parking space (die "Parkplatzsuche") is an everyday problem in many cities and often leads to stress.