der  Polizeiwagen

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/poliˈt͡saɪˌvaːɡn̩/

🚗 What exactly is a Polizeiwagen?

A Polizeiwagen is a motor vehicle used by the police force while on duty. It's an official Einsatzfahrzeug (emergency vehicle), typically identifiable by its special paintwork (often grün/silber - green/silver, blau/silber - blue/silver, or entirely blau - blue), lettering like "Polizei", and special signaling equipment (Blaulicht - blue flashing lights and Martinshorn - siren).

It's a compound noun formed from die Polizei (the police) and der Wagen (the car, wagon). Since the base word Wagen is masculine (der Wagen), der Polizeiwagen is also masculine.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Polizeiwagen

The noun "Polizeiwagen" is masculine. Here are the declension tables:

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der Polizeiwagen fuhr mit Blaulicht durch die Stadt. (The police car drove through the city with flashing blue lights. - Nominative Singular)
2. Siehst du den Polizeiwagen dort drüben? (Do you see the police car over there? - Accusative Singular)
3. Die Verfolgung endete mit einem Unfall, an dem ein Polizeiwagen beteiligt war. (The chase ended with an accident involving a police car. - Dative Singular)
4. Die Sirene des Polizeiwagens war weithin zu hören. (The siren of the police car could be heard from afar. - Genitive Singular)
5. Mehrere Polizeiwagen sicherten den Unfallort. (Several police cars secured the accident scene. - Nominative/Accusative Plural)

🗣️ How to Use "Polizeiwagen"?

The term Polizeiwagen is the general and most common term for a police vehicle in German. It's used in everyday language as well as in official contexts (like news reports).

• Typical Situations: Describing police operations, traffic stops, accidents, chases.
• Context: Refers to any car clearly marked as a police vehicle.
• Distinction: While Polizeiwagen is the generic term, more specific terms exist like Streifenwagen (patrol car) or Funkstreifenwagen (patrol car with radio, often used synonymously). A Zivilstreifenwagen is an unmarked police car.

You often hear sentences like: "Die Straße war gesperrt, weil dort mehrere Polizeiwagen standen." (The road was blocked because several police cars were parked there.) or "Ein Polizeiwagen raste zum Einsatzort." (A police car sped to the scene.)

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of the base word: It's der Wagen (the car/wagon). Many compound words ending in "-wagen" are masculine (der Krankenwagen - ambulance, der Lieferwagen - delivery van). Therefore, it's also: der Polizeiwagen.

Meaning Mnemonic: Simple! Who's inside? Die Polizei (the police). What is it? Ein Wagen (a car/wagon). Together they make the Polizeiwagen – a car for the police.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

🚨 Note: Not every police vehicle is a typical Polizeiwagen in the sense of a patrol car (e.g., Wasserwerfer - water cannons, Mannschaftstransporter - personnel carriers).

😄 A Little Joke

DE: Fragt ein Polizist seinen Kollegen: "Warum fahren wir eigentlich immer zu zweit im Polizeiwagen?" Antwortet der Kollege: "Na, einer kann lesen und schreiben, und der andere muss auf den Intellektuellen aufpassen!"

EN: A police officer asks his colleague: "Why do we always drive in pairs in the police car?" The colleague replies: "Well, one can read and write, and the other has to watch the intellectual!"

📜 Poetic Patrol

DE:
Blaues Licht blitzt durch die Nacht,
Der Polizeiwagen hält Wacht.
Mit Sirene, laut und klar,
Fährt er hin, wo Not, Gefahr.
Schützt die Bürger, sorgt für Recht,
Tag und Nacht, mal gut, mal schlecht.
Auf vier Rädern schnell bereit,
Für Ordnung und Sicherheit.

EN:
Blue light flashes through the night,
The Polizeiwagen stands guard bright.
With siren, loud and clear,
It drives to where there's need, or fear.
Protects the citizens, ensures the right,
Day and night, through dark and light.
On four wheels quickly set,
For order and safety, don't forget.

❓ A Little Riddle

DE:
Ich trage Blau oder Grün und Silber meist zur Schau.
Mit Licht und Ton eil' ich davon,
Verfolge Dieb und Schurken schon.
Wer Ordnung liebt, der ruft nach mir,
Ich bin ein Fahrzeug der ...?

EN:
I wear blue or green and silver, usually on display.
With light and sound, I hurry away,
Chasing thieves and villains today.
Who loves order calls for me near,
I am a vehicle of the...?

Solution / Lösung: der Polizeiwagen

🧩 Interesting Tidbits

Word Composition

The word "Polizeiwagen" is a determinative compound noun (Determinativkompositum). It consists of:

• Determinant (determining element): Polizei (specifies the type of 'Wagen')
• Base word (determines gender): Wagen (determines the gender of the whole word: der Wagen → der Polizeiwagen)

Color Scheme and Equipment

The coloring of police cars in Germany has changed over the years. They used to be often green-white or green-silver (grün-weiß / grün-silber), today they are predominantly blue-silver or entirely blue (blau-silber / blau). Besides the Blaulicht (blue light) and Martinshorn (siren), they have radio equipment and special gear for police duty.