die  Bushaltestelle

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈbʊsˌhaltəˌʃtɛlə/

🚌 What does "die Bushaltestelle" mean?

The German word die Bushaltestelle means "bus stop". It refers to a designated place in public space where scheduled buses stop to let passengers board and alight. It's typically marked with a sign (Schild).

It's a compound noun:

• Der Bus: The vehicle (bus).
• Die Haltestelle: The stopping place (from halten = to hold/stop + Stelle = place/spot).

Because the base word "Stelle" is feminine (die Stelle), the compound word "die Bushaltestelle" is also feminine. Die is the only correct article.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Declension of "die Bushaltestelle"

"Bushaltestelle" is a feminine noun. Here is its declension:

Example Sentences

1. Die nächste Bushaltestelle ist nur 50 Meter entfernt.
   (The next bus stop is only 50 meters away.)
2. Wartest du an der Bushaltestelle auf den Bus Nummer 5?
   (Are you waiting at the bus stop for bus number 5?)
3. An vielen Bushaltestellen gibt es Wartehäuschen.
   (At many bus stops, there are shelters.)
4. Der Fahrer übersah die Bushaltestelle und musste zurücksetzen.
   (The driver missed the bus stop and had to reverse.)

💡 How to use "Bushaltestelle"

The term "Bushaltestelle" is used in everyday language and official contexts (e.g., timetables - Fahrpläne) to refer to the specific spot where a bus stops.

• Typical Context: Public transport (Öffentlicher Nahverkehr), giving directions (Wegbeschreibungen), city maps (Stadtpläne).
• Usage: You wartet an (wait at) the Bushaltestelle, geht zur (go to the) Bushaltestelle, steigt an der (get on/off at the) Bushaltestelle ein/aus.
• Distinction: A Haltestelle (stop) can also be for other transport like trams (Straßenbahnen). "Bushaltestelle" is more specific. A Busbahnhof (bus station/terminal) is a larger hub with multiple platforms (Bussteige).

🧠 Mnemonics for die Bushaltestelle

Remembering the Article (die): The core is "die Haltestelle" (the stop/place). Locations/places (Stelle) are often feminine in German. Since Stelle is feminine, so is die Bushaltestelle. Think: "The spot (die Stelle) where the bus halts." Feminine 'stelle' makes the whole word feminine.

Remembering the Meaning: Easy! Bus + Halte (halt/stop) + Stelle (spot/place) = A spot where the bus halts. A 'Bus-Halt-Spot'.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Don't confuse "Bushaltestelle" (bus stop) with "Busbahnhof" (bus station/terminal). A Bushaltestelle is usually just a simple stop on the roadside.

😂 A Little Joke

German: Fragt ein Tourist den Busfahrer: "Entschuldigen Sie, hält dieser Bus auch am Zentralfriedhof?" Sagt der Busfahrer: "Ja, wenn Sie ganz fest drücken!"

English Translation: A tourist asks the bus driver: "Excuse me, does this bus also stop ['hält'] at the central cemetery?" The bus driver replies: "Yes, if you hold on ['hält'] really tight!"

(It's a pun on the verb halten, which can mean "to stop" or "to hold".)

📜 Waiting at the Bushaltestelle

German:
Am Schild, im Regen, leicht gebückt,
die Zeit verrinnt, die Uhr, sie tickt.
Die Bushaltestelle, kalt und grau,
wann kommt der Bus? Ich weiß's genau:
Bestimmt zu spät, wie jedes Mal,
doch Warten hier ist mein Schicksal.

English Translation:
At the sign, in rain, slightly bent,
Time slips away, the clock is ticking spent.
The bus stop, cold and grey,
When comes the bus? I know its way:
Surely late, like every time,
But waiting here is just my lot sublime.

❓ Little Riddle about the Bushaltestelle

German:
Ich habe ein Dach, doch bin kein Haus.
Ich habe ein Schild, doch sag nichts aus (außer Liniennummern).
Man wartet hier, bei Wind und Braus,
bis ein großes Fahrzeug kommt heraus.

Was bin ich?

English Translation:
I have a roof, but am not a house.
I have a sign, but say nothing aloud (except route numbers).
People wait here, through wind and souse,
Until a large vehicle emerges from its drowse.

What am I?
Answer: Die Bushaltestelle (The bus stop)

✨ Other Interesting Info

Word Composition: As mentioned, "Bushaltestelle" is a compound word made of:

• der Bus (from Omnibus, Latin for 'for all')
• halten (Germanic origin, meaning 'to stop', 'to hold')
• die Stelle (Germanic origin, meaning 'place', 'spot', 'position')

In Germany, the marking of bus stops (Kennzeichnung von Bushaltestellen) is regulated by the Road Traffic Regulations (Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung - StVO) using sign number 224.