der  Verkehr

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/fɛɐ̯ˈkeːɐ̯/

🚗 What does "der Verkehr" mean?

The word der Verkehr (masculine) has several meanings in German:

• Transport & Movement: The most common meaning refers to the movement of vehicles (cars, trains, planes, etc.), people, or goods. Example: Der Berufsverkehr am Morgen ist immer dicht. (Morning rush hour traffic is always heavy.)
• Social Intercourse / Interaction: It can also refer to interaction or relationships between people, often in more formal contexts. Example: Der diplomatische Verkehr zwischen den Ländern ist wichtig. (Diplomatic intercourse/relations between the countries are important.)
• Business Interaction / Commerce: Similar to social interaction, but specifically in a business context. Example: Der Zahlungsverkehr wird heute meist online abgewickelt. (Payment transactions are mostly handled online today.)
• Sexual Intercourse (Euphemism): It can also be used as a formal or medical term for sexual intercourse. Example: Aufklärung über Geschlechtskrankheiten, die durch ungeschützten Verkehr übertragen werden. (Education about sexually transmitted diseases spread through unprotected intercourse.)

🚨 Attention: The meaning usually becomes clear from the context. The plural form "die Verkehre" is rare and typically used for specific types of traffic (e.g., Güterverkehre - freight traffic) or in the sense of social/business interactions.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Verkehr

Der Verkehr is a masculine noun. The plural form (die Verkehre) is used infrequently, mostly in specific technical contexts (e.g., different types of transport) or for the meaning "social/business interaction". For the general meaning "road traffic," it is almost never used in the plural.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural (rare)

📝 Example Sentences

1. Der Verkehr auf der Autobahn staute sich über Kilometer.
   (The traffic on the highway was backed up for kilometers.)
2. Sie pflegte einen regen Briefverkehr mit ihrer Freundin im Ausland.
   (She maintained a lively correspondence with her friend abroad.)
3. Der internationale Zahlungsverkehr ist komplex.
   (International payment transactions are complex.)
4. Der Arzt klärte über die Risiken beim Geschlechtsverkehr auf.
   (The doctor informed about the risks of sexual intercourse.)

💡 How to use "der Verkehr"?

The usage of der Verkehr strongly depends on the context:

• Everyday Language (Transport): Here, it usually means road traffic. "Ich stecke im Verkehr fest." ("I'm stuck in traffic.") is a very common phrase.
• Formal Language (Interaction): In official or business contexts, it describes exchange or interaction. E.g., diplomatischer Verkehr (diplomatic relations), geschäftlicher Verkehr (business dealings), Schriftverkehr (correspondence), Zahlungsverkehr (payment transactions).
• Medical/Legal (Sexual Intercourse): Often used as a neutral, technical term to describe intimacy.

Comparison with similar words:

• Transport: Refers more to the system or act of conveying (der Gütertransport - goods transport), while Verkehr often means the movement itself.
• Umgang: Is more general and personal than Verkehr in the social sense (der Umgang mit Freunden - interaction with friends). Verkehr sounds more formal here.
• Bewegung: A very general term for movement. Verkehr is more specific to the movement of vehicles or, figuratively, to interactions.

Compound words are very common: Straßenverkehr (road traffic), Flugverkehr (air traffic), Bahnverkehr (rail traffic), Berufsverkehr (rush hour traffic), Fernverkehr (long-distance traffic), Nahverkehr (local traffic), Güterverkehr (freight traffic), Personenverkehr (passenger traffic), Schriftverkehr (correspondence), Zahlungsverkehr (payment transactions), Geschlechtsverkehr (sexual intercourse).

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Verkehr"

Article Mnemonic: Think of a guy (ein Kerl) stuck in traffic, maybe driving a car. Both "Kerl" and "car" (similar sound) hint at the masculine article der. Der Kerl -> der Verkehr.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine things going the wrong way or 'in reverse' (verkehrt in German means 'wrong' or 'reversed') when there's too much Verkehr: cars stand still instead of moving (traffic), mail gets lost (correspondence traffic/Schriftverkehr), relationships get complicated (social intercourse/Verkehr). The connection to verkehrt (wrong/reversed) helps remember the different types of Verkehr where flow is essential.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "der Verkehr"

⚠️ Similar but different words:

• Verkehrt: Adjective meaning wrong, reversed (Das ist die verkehrte Richtung! - That's the wrong direction!). Shares the same root.
• Kehren: Verb meaning to sweep or to turn around (Die Straße kehren - to sweep the street; umkehren - to turn back).

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Skelette nie am Berufsverkehr teil?

Weil sie kein Fleisch auf den Rippen haben, um im Stau zu stehen! 😉

(Why do skeletons never take part in rush hour traffic?
Because they don't have the 'meat on their bones' (guts/stamina, literal translation: flesh on their ribs) to stand in a traffic jam!)

📜 Poem about Verkehr

Der Verkehr, ein wilder Fluss,
(Traffic, a wild river,)
Mal fließt er schnell, mal mit Verdruss.
(Sometimes it flows fast, sometimes with frustration.)
Autos, Züge, weit und breit,
(Cars, trains, far and wide,)
Verbinden Orte, Raum und Zeit.
(Connect places, space and time.)

Doch auch der Umgang, leis und sacht,
(But also interaction, quiet and gentle,)
Wird oft als "Verkehr" bedacht.
(Is often considered "Verkehr".)
Ein Wort, so vielseitig und klar,
(A word, so versatile and clear,)
Beschreibt das Leben, Jahr für Jahr.
(Describes life, year after year.)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich habe Straßen, doch kein Land.
(I have roads, but no land.)
Ich habe Regeln, doch keine Hand.
(I have rules, but no hand.)
Ich bringe Menschen zueinander,
(I bring people together,)
mal schnell, mal langsam, durcheinander.
(sometimes fast, sometimes slow, mixed up.)

Was bin ich? (What am I?)
... Der Verkehr (Traffic)

📌 More Information

Word Composition:

The word Verkehr is composed of:

• The prefix ver-: often implying change, movement, or consumption.
• The stem kehr: from the verb 'kehren', which originally meant 'to turn', 'to rotate', or 'to direct'.

Together, they suggest the idea of movement, a back-and-forth turning, which fits well with all meanings – from the movement of vehicles to the exchange between people or in commerce.

Interesting: The word "verkehrt" (wrong, reversed) has the same origin!