die
Straßenseite
🛤️ What does 'die Straßenseite' mean?
Die Straßenseite (noun, feminine) refers to one of the two longitudinal sides of a street, usually demarcated by a sidewalk or the edge of the road.
The word is a compound noun made up of:
- die Straße: street or road - a constructed path for traffic between places.
- die Seite: side - one of the outer boundary surfaces or directions of an object.
Because the last part of the compound word, "die Seite", is feminine, the entire word "die Straßenseite" is also feminine. There is only this one article.
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
📚 Grammar of 'die Straßenseite' in Detail
The noun "Straßenseite" is feminine. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Straßenseite |
| Genitive | der | Straßenseite |
| Dative | der | Straßenseite |
| Accusative | die | Straßenseite |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Straßenseiten |
| Genitive | der | Straßenseiten |
| Dative | den | Straßenseiten |
| Accusative | die | Straßenseiten |
Example Sentences
- Das Auto parkte auf der falschen Straßenseite. (The car parked on the wrong side of the street.)
- Wir wohnen auf der gegenüberliegenden Straßenseite. (We live on the opposite side of the street.)
- Auf welcher Straßenseite befindet sich die Bäckerei? (On which side of the street is the bakery?)
- Die Kinder spielten sicher auf dieser Straßenseite, weit weg vom Verkehr. (The children played safely on this side of the street, far from traffic.)
🚶♀️ How to use 'Straßenseite'?
The term 'die Straßenseite' is used to describe a specific side of a street relative to an observer, a location, or a direction of travel.
- Location: "Das Café ist auf der linken Straßenseite." (The café is on the left side of the street.)
- Direction: "Bitte wechseln Sie auf die andere Straßenseite." (Please cross to the other side of the street.)
- Traffic: "Parken ist nur auf einer Straßenseite erlaubt." (Parking is only allowed on one side of the street.)
Distinction from similar terms:
- Gehweg/Bürgersteig (sidewalk/pavement): Refers specifically to the paved path for pedestrians alongside the street. 'Straßenseite' is the more general term for the entire side.
- Straßenrand (roadside/edge of the road): The outermost edge of the road, often unpaved. Can be part of the 'Straßenseite'.
- Fahrbahn (roadway/lane): The part of the street intended for vehicles (lies between the 'Straßenseiten').
One often speaks of the "richtige" (correct/right) or "falsche" (wrong) Straßenseite (e.g., for parking or in countries with left-hand traffic) or the "gegenüberliegende" (opposite) Straßenseite.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
For the article: Remember "die Seite" (the side). Since "Seite" is feminine, "Straßenseite" is too. Think: A street usually has two sides – which one do you choose? Dies one! (Sounds like 'this one' and starts with 'die').
For the meaning: Imagine standing on a Straße (street) and looking left or right – each is a Seite (side) of the street, therefore a Straßenseite.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Gehwegseite (Sidewalk side - emphasizes the part with the sidewalk)
- Straßenrand (Roadside/edge of the road - can be synonymous when referring to the edge)
- Randbereich der Straße (Edge area of the street - descriptive phrase)
Antonyms (Opposites)
- Gegenüberliegende Straßenseite (Opposite side of the street)
- Andere Straßenseite (Other side of the street)
- Fahrbahnmitte (Middle of the roadway - the area between the sides)
- Straßenmitte (Middle of the street)
⚠️ Similar but Different Terms
- Fahrbahn: Roadway - the part for vehicles.
- Gehsteig/Bürgersteig: Sidewalk/Pavement - the path for pedestrians on the side.
- Kreuzung: Intersection/Crossing - where streets meet.
😂 A Little Joke
DE: Warum hat das Huhn die Straße überquert? Um zur anderen Straßenseite zu gelangen!
EN: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side (of the street)! (A classic that always fits!)
📜 Poem about the Straßenseite
DE:
Die Straße lang, breit und grau,
hat zwei Seiten, ganz genau.
Links und rechts, klar zu seh'n,
wo Häuser steh'n, wo Menschen geh'n.
Mal sonnig hell, mal schattig kühl,
die Straßenseite, ein Stadtgefühl.
EN:
The street, long, wide, and gray,
has two sides, precise and clear to say.
Left and right, easy to see,
where houses stand, where people be.
Sometimes sunny bright, sometimes shady cool,
the side of the street, a city feel.
❓ Riddle
DE:
Ich liege links, ich liege rechts,
doch niemals in der Mitte echt.
Autos fahren an mir vorbei,
Fußgänger nutzen mich allerlei.
Willst du rüber, musst du schau'n,
mich zu wechseln dich trau'n.
Was bin ich? ... Die Straßenseite
EN:
I lie to the left, I lie to the right,
but never truly in the middle's light.
Cars drive past me in a row,
Pedestrians use me, to and fro.
If you want across, you must look with care,
and dare to cross me, if you dare.
What am I? ... The side of the street (Die Straßenseite)
🧩 Word Composition & Trivia
Word Components:
- Straße: Old High German "strāza", likely from Latin "(via) strata" (paved way).
- Seite: Old High German "sīta" (side).
"Die Straßenseite" is a typical example of a German compound noun (Kompositum), where the last word (Grundwort, here "Seite") determines the gender (Genus) of the entire word. Since "Seite" is feminine (die), "Straßenseite" is also feminine (die).
Trivia: In many cities, there are rules specifying on which Straßenseite parking is allowed (e.g., depending on even/odd house numbers or calendar days).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Straßenseite?
The word "Straßenseite" is always feminine. The correct article is die Straßenseite. It describes one of the two longitudinal sides of a street.