die  Straße

A1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈʃtʁaːsə/

🛣️ What Exactly is 'die Straße'?

The German word die Straße [ˈʃtʁaːsə] means street or road. It refers to a paved way for traffic, especially vehicles, connecting places or running within a locality. It's a fundamental part of infrastructure in cities and the countryside.

• Main meaning: A public way designed for traffic (cars, bikes, pedestrians, etc.), usually paved with asphalt or cobblestones.
• Figurative sense: Sometimes "die Straße" is used metaphorically for the public or a specific milieu (e.g., das Gesetz der Straße - 'the law of the street').

🚨 Note: The spelling with "ß" is correct according to modern German orthography. It used to be spelled "Strasse".

Article rules for der, die, and das

📚 Grammar Guide for 'die Straße'

"Straße" is a feminine noun, so it uses the article die. It follows the standard declension pattern for feminine nouns.

Declension of 'die Straße'

Example Sentences

1. Die Kinder spielen auf der Straße. (The children are playing on the street.)
2. Diese Straße führt direkt zum Bahnhof. (This street leads directly to the train station.)
3. In unserer Straße gibt es viele alte Bäume. (There are many old trees on our street.)
4. Die Straßen der Innenstadt sind oft überfüllt. (The streets downtown are often crowded.)
5. Der Bau neuer Straßen ist geplant. (The construction of new roads is planned.)

🧭 How to Use 'die Straße'?

"Die Straße" is an everyday word with broad application:

• Addresses: Its most common use is in addresses (e.g., Hauptstraße 10 - 'Main Street 10').
• Traffic Routes: For describing ways for vehicles and pedestrians (e.g., eine breite Straße - 'a wide street', eine enge Gasse ist keine Straße - 'a narrow alley is not a street').
• Location Description: To describe urban or rural areas (e.g., Die Straßen von Paris - 'The streets of Paris').
• Idioms: In set phrases like "auf der Straße leben" (to live on the street / be homeless), "jemanden auf die Straße setzen" (to fire someone / kick someone out), "Geld liegt nicht auf der Straße" (money doesn't grow on trees, literally 'money isn't lying on the street').

Compared to Weg (more general, can also be unpaved) or Gasse (narrower, often in old towns), Straße usually refers to a larger, paved traffic route.

💡 Mnemonics for 'die Straße'

Here are some memory aids for the article and meaning:

• Article Mnemonic: Feminine nouns in German often end in -e, like 'die Straße'. Think of a strong and ßplendid (splendid) Queen (feminine = die) walking down her royal Straße.
• Meaning Mnemonic: "Straße" sounds a bit like the English word "straight". Many streets go straight ahead.

Remember: Feminine and fundamental for getting around – that's die Straße!

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms of 'Straße'

Similar, but Different Words:

• Straßenbahn (die): Tram, streetcar.
• Autobahn (die): Motorway, highway.

😂 A Little Street Joke

Warum hat die Straße schlechte Laune?

Weil ständig auf ihr herumgetrampelt wird! 😄

Why is the street in a bad mood?

Because people are constantly walking all over it! 😄

📜 Poem about the Street

Die Straße, lang und grau,
führt fort, man weiß nicht, wohin genau.
Mal laut, mal still, bei Tag, bei Nacht,
hat sie uns oft ans Ziel gebracht.
Autos rollen, Menschen geh'n,
Geschichten auf den Steinen steh'n.
Ein Band, das Orte fest vereint,
mal sonnenhell, mal wolkenverweint.

The Street, long and grey,
leads away, one doesn't know precisely where.
Sometimes loud, sometimes quiet, by day, by night,
it has often brought us to our destination.
Cars roll, people walk,
stories stand upon the stones.
A ribbon that firmly unites places,
sometimes sun-bright, sometimes tear-stained by clouds.

❓ Street Riddle

Ich habe keine Stimme, doch ich führe dich.
Ich habe keine Beine, doch ich trage dich.
Manchmal bin ich breit, manchmal schmal und klein,
Ich verbinde Orte, groß und auch ganz fein.

Was bin ich?

Auflösung: Die Straße

I have no voice, yet I guide you.
I have no legs, yet I carry you.
Sometimes I am wide, sometimes narrow and small,
I connect places, large and also very fine.

What am I?

Solution: The street (Die Straße)

✨ Interesting Facts about 'die Straße'

• Etymology: The word "Straße" comes from Old High German "strāza", which in turn derives from the Latin "(via) strata", meaning "paved way".
• Compounds: "Straße" is part of many compound words, e.g., Straßenlaterne (street lamp), Straßenverkehr (road traffic), Einbahnstraße (one-way street), Hauptstraße (main street), Seitenstraße (side street), Straßenmusikant (street musician), Straßenfest (street festival).
• Cultural Significance: Streets are not just traffic routes but also places of social interaction, commerce (Marktstraßen - market streets), and sometimes political demonstrations.