die Straßenbahn

Meaning and Usage

Die Straßenbahn means "tram" or "streetcar" in German. It refers to an electric vehicle that runs on tracks laid along a public road and is used for public transportation within a city or urban area.

Linguistic Analysis

"Die Straßenbahn" is a compound word in German, composed of "Straße" (street) and "Bahn" (rail or track). It is a feminine noun, and the plural form is "die Straßenbahnen".

Comparisons between German and English

The word "tram" in English is similar to the German "die Straßenbahn" in both meaning and usage.

Cultural Context

In many German-speaking countries, especially in urban areas, the Straßenbahn is a common mode of public transportation and plays a significant role in the public transit system.

Example Sentences

• Die Straßenbahn fährt alle zehn Minuten ab. (The tram departs every ten minutes.)
• Wir nehmen die Straßenbahn, um ins Stadtzentrum zu gelangen. (We take the tram to get to the city center.)

Memory Tips

Associate "die Straßenbahn" with the idea of a "street rail" to remember its meaning and usage.

Additional Vocabulary

• Synonyms: die Tram, die Bahn
• Related Words: die Haltestelle (the stop), der Fahrplan (the schedule), der Schienenverkehr (rail traffic)

Gender and Plural (for nouns)

• Gender: feminine
• Plural: die Straßenbahnen

Conjugation (for verbs)

N/A (die Straßenbahn is a noun, not a verb)