U-Bahn
/ˈʔuːbaːn/feminine
The German word for subway is U-Bahn. Wiktionary also lists Metro.
Meaning: underground railway (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| U-Bahn | /ˈʔuːbaːn/ | feminine |
| Metro | feminine |
The term refers to an underground railway. In various German cities, you may also encounter the term S-Bahn, which refers to suburban trains that integrate with the city's underground network. In some cities, such as Hanover, the term Stadtbahn is used to describe a light rail system.
What does it mean word for word?
U-Bahn is an abbreviation for Untergrundbahn, which literally means underground railway.
How does it change in a sentence?
U-Bahn is a feminine noun. It uses the feminine articles die in the nominative and accusative cases, and der in the genitive and dative cases.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔuːbaːn/
Did you know?
- Unlike many English-speaking cities, most U-Bahn systems in Germany do not have turnstiles or ticket barriers at the station entrances.
- Before the term U-Bahn became standard, Berlin's underground was actually called the Unterpflaster-Bahn, which translates to 'underpavement railway'.
- Because there are no gates, the U-Bahn relies on a 'proof of payment' system where random inspectors check tickets during the journey.
Examples in context
- Sie nahmen die U-Bahn.They took the subway.This sentence shows how to use U-Bahn to describe taking the subway.Tatoeba #450265 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #307130 by CK
- Nehmen wir die U-Bahn!Let's take the subway.This sentence shows how to suggest taking the U-Bahn to someone.Tatoeba #10362824 by Yorwba, translation #277075 by CK
- Wo ist die U-Bahnstation?Where's the subway station?This sentence shows how to ask for the location of a U-Bahn station.Tatoeba #11277872 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6353496 by CK
- 64 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Julian are waiting on a platform.
- HannahWann kommt die U-Bahn?When is the subway coming?
- JulianDie U-Bahn kommt in zwei Minuten.The subway is coming in two minutes.
- HannahGut, ich habe keine Lust zu laufen.Good, I don't feel like walking.
- JulianWir nehmen einfach die U-Bahn.Let's just take the subway.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “subway” translations and entries U-Bahn, Metro, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Metro, U-Bahn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
