die  Parkplatzsuche

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/paʁkˈplatsˌzuːxə/

🅿️ What does "die Parkplatzsuche" mean?

Die Parkplatzsuche (noun, feminine) describes the process or activity of actively looking for a free parking space for a vehicle, usually a car. It's a compound word formed from "der Parkplatz" (parking spot) and "die Suche" (the search). Since "Suche" is feminine (die Suche), the compound word is also feminine.

It refers to a very common situation, especially in cities or during peak hours, often associated with stress or frustration.

⚠️ There's only this one article and this one meaning for the word.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: The Declension

The noun "Parkplatzsuche" is feminine. Here is the declension in the singular. The plural ("die Parkplatzsuchen") is grammatically correct but rarely used, as people usually refer to the general activity or a specific search event.

📝 Example Sentences

• Die Parkplatzsuche in der Innenstadt kann sehr nervenaufreibend sein. (The search for a parking spot downtown can be very stressful.)
• Nach einer langen Parkplatzsuche fanden wir endlich eine Lücke. (After a long search for parking, we finally found a space.)
• Er widmete der Parkplatzsuche fast zwanzig Minuten. (He dedicated almost twenty minutes to the search for a parking spot.)
• Sie beendete die Parkplatzsuche und fuhr ins Parkhaus. (She ended the search for parking and drove into the parking garage.)

🚗 When to use "Parkplatzsuche"?

"Die Parkplatzsuche" is used to describe the process of looking for a parking space. Typical situations include:

• Driving in busy city centers.
• Arriving at events with limited parking.
• Describing everyday stress or time wasted in traffic.

It's a common word in everyday life and often comes up in conversations about traffic, cities, or personal experiences. You might hear about a "mühsame Parkplatzsuche" (tedious search), an "erfolglose Parkplatzsuche" (unsuccessful search), or a "schnelle Parkplatzsuche" (quick search).

💡 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: The base word is "die Suche" (the search). Like many compound nouns, the gender is determined by the last part of the word. So: die Suche -> die Parkplatzsuche.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine you are driving in circles (like a Suche / search) looking for a place to park (a Parkplatz). Putting them together gives you the activity: Parkplatzsuche.

🔄 Synonyms and (Conceptual) Antonyms

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Skelette nie an einer Parkplatzsuche teil?

(Why do skeletons never take part in searching for a parking spot?)

Weil sie keinen Körper haben, um ihn irgendwo abzustellen!

(Because they have no body to park anywhere!) 😉

(Note: This is a pun. "Körper" means body, but it sounds a bit like 'carcass' or 'corpse' which might be 'parked'.)

✒️ Poem about the Search for Parking

Die Straße voll, die Nerven blank,
(The street is full, nerves are frayed,)
kein freier Platz, welch ein Gestank
(No free spot, oh what a stink)
von Abgas, Frust und Warterei,
(Of exhaust, frustration, and waiting,)
die Parkplatzsuche, nie vorbei?
(The search for parking, never over?)
Man kreist und hofft, fährt hin und her,
(You circle and hope, drive back and forth,)
ein Plätzchen finden, ach wie schwer.
(Finding a spot, oh how hard.)
Doch plötzlich winkt die Lücke klein,
(But suddenly the small gap beckons,)
die Suche endet – welch ein Schein!
(The search ends – what a relief! [lit. what a shine!])

❓ Riddle

Ich bin oft lang und selten kurz,
(I am often long and seldom short,)
in Städten bin ich oft ein Sturz
(In cities, I am often a fall)
für gute Laune, Zeit und Plan.
(For good moods, time, and plans.)
Ich ende erst, passt's Auto dran.
(I only end when the car fits in.)

Was bin ich? / What am I?
Lösung/Solution: die Parkplatzsuche

ℹ️ Additional Info

Word Composition:

The word "Parkplatzsuche" is a compound noun (Kompositum) made up of two nouns:

• der Parkplatz (parking spot): Itself composed of "parken" (verb: to park) and "der Platz" (noun: place, spot, square).
• die Suche (the search): Noun form of the verb "suchen" (to search, to look for).

Cultural Context: In Germany, especially in large cities, the Parkplatzsuche is a frequently discussed topic and a symbol of the challenges of urban traffic.