der  Platzverweis

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈplatsfɛɐ̯ˌvaɪs/

🧐 What exactly is a Platzverweis?

Der Platzverweis (masculine) refers to the official instruction given to a person to leave a specific place or area (der Platz) and to stay away from it for a certain period or permanently. It's a formal measure.

There are mainly two contexts:

• In Sports: Especially in football (soccer) or ice hockey, der Platzverweis is the highest penalty for a player, often symbolized by a Rote Karte (red card). The player must leave the field immediately and is usually suspended for at least the next match.
• In Public Spaces / Law: An official order (e.g., by the police or security services) to remove a person from a location (e.g., a demonstration, pub, train station) and prohibit them from entering for a specific duration to prevent disturbances or danger. This is often also referred to as an Aufenthaltsverbot (ban on staying/residing).

⚠️ Important: A Platzverweis is always an official instruction, usually given verbally or in writing by a person in authority (referee, police officer, security guard, property owner).

📊 Grammar: Der Platzverweis in Detail

The word "Platzverweis" is a masculine noun. Its article is der.

Declension

Note: In the dative singular, the form "dem Platzverweise" is also possible besides "dem Platzverweis", but less common.

Example Sentences

1. Nach dem groben Foul erhielt der Spieler sofort den Platzverweis.
   After the bad foul, the player immediately received the sending-off.
2. Die Polizei erteilte den Störern mehrere Platzverweise.
   The police issued several orders to leave to the troublemakers.
3. Wegen wiederholter Ruhestörung droht ihm nun ein Platzverweis für das gesamte Viertel.
   Due to repeated disturbance of the peace, he now faces a ban from the entire neighbourhood.
4. Die Fans akzeptierten den Platzverweis gegen ihren Kapitän nicht.
   The fans did not accept the sending-off of their captain.

🗣️ How to use der Platzverweis

The term "Platzverweis" is mostly used in formal or official contexts.

• Sporting Context: Here, it's synonymous with the "Rote Karte" (red card) or ejection from the game. One says: "Der Schiedsrichter erteilt einen Platzverweis" (The referee issues a sending-off) or "Der Spieler bekommt einen Platzverweis" (The player gets sent off).
• Legal/Public Context: It's issued by authorities like the police (Polizei), public order office (Ordnungsamt), or security services. Example: "Die Polizei erteilte einen Platzverweis, um die öffentliche Ordnung wiederherzustellen." (The police issued an order to leave to restore public order.) Property owners (e.g., shopkeepers, pub owners) can also issue a Platzverweis under their domiciliary rights (Hausrecht), often called a "Hausverbot" (ban from the premises).
• Figurative Meaning: Less commonly, it's used metaphorically to express that someone is unwanted somewhere or excluded, e.g., from a discussion or group.

Distinction: A Hausverbot is a specific type of Platzverweis related to private property or buildings, issued by the owner/proprietor. A police Platzverweis usually refers to public spaces.

🧠 Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Imagine DER strict referee (masculine) showing DEN Platzverweis. The masculine figure helps remember the article "der". Alternatively, think of it as an official order (ends in 'r', like 'der').

Meaning Mnemonic: Break down the word: Platz (place/spot) + Verweis (referral/rebuke/ban). So, a Platzverweis is a ban or directive away from a specific place. Think "Place-wise, you're outta here!"

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words:

• Verweis (der): Can also mean a reprimand or rebuke (e.g., at school) or a reference (e.g., cross-reference).
• Verweisen: The verb describing the action ("jemanden des Platzes verweisen" - to order someone off the premises/field).

😂 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Computer einen Platzverweis vom Schreibtisch bekommen?
Weil er ständig abgestürzt ist!

Why did the computer get banned (receive a Platzverweis) from the desk?
Because it kept crashing! (abstürzen = to crash)

📜 Poem about Platzverweis

Ein Pfiff ertönt, die Karte rot,
Ein Spieler spürt die jähe Not.
Der Platzverweis, ein hartes Wort,
Verlässt er nun den heil'gen Sport-Ort.

(A whistle sounds, the card is red,
A player feels the sudden dread.
The sending-off, a harsh decree,
He now departs the hallowed sporting lee.)

Auch auf der Straße, laut und wild,
Die Ordnungshüter zeigen Bild:
Ein Wink, ein Ruf, es ist soweit,
Der Platzverweis beendet Streit.

(Also in the street, loud and wild,
The guardians of order show their style:
A gesture, a call, the time is nigh,
The order to leave ends the cry.)

🧩 Who or What am I?

Ich bin kein Ort, doch schick dich fort.
Im Sport oft rot, im Recht ein Wort.
Der Schiri zeigt mich, die Polizei spricht mich aus,
Wer Ärger macht, muss schnell hier raus.

Was bin ich?

(I am not a place, yet I send you away.
In sports often red, in law a word to say.
The referee shows me, the police pronounce me,
Whoever causes trouble must quickly flee.)

What am I?
Solution: Der Platzverweis (The sending-off / order to leave)

💡 Other Interesting Facts

Word Composition:

The word "Platzverweis" is a compound noun, composed of:

• der Platz: Meaning the place, spot, space, square.
• der Verweis: Meaning the referral, reference, rebuke, banishment.

Legal Basis (Rechtliche Grundlage): Police orders to leave (polizeiliche Platzverweise) are regulated in the police laws of the respective German federal states (Bundesländer). They serve to avert danger (Gefahrenabwehr) or eliminate disturbances (Beseitigung von Störungen).