Verkehr
/fɛrˈkeːr/masculine
The German word for traffic is Verkehr. Wiktionary also lists Personenverkehr.
Meaning: pedestrians or vehicles on roads or on the air (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Verkehr | /fɛrˈkeːr/ | masculine |
| Personenverkehr | /pɛʁˈzoːnənfɛɐ̯ˌkeːɐ̯/ | masculine |
Verkehr refers to pedestrians or vehicles on roads or in the air. While it is the general term for road, air and water traffic, it is also used as the standard term for 'communication' or 'intercourse' in certain contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Verkehr is masculine. When used as a prefix in compound nouns, it often takes a connecting '-s-' (the genitive 's'), such as in Verkehrszeichen (traffic sign).
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛrˈkeːr/
Did you know?
- The word Verkehr can also mean 'sexual intercourse' or 'social interaction' in a colloquial or formal sense. Using it to describe people meeting can lead to ambiguity if the context is not clear.
- While Verkehr describes the flow, a traffic jam is called Stau, a word that literally refers to a 'dam' or 'backup' of water.
- The word Verkehr is a deverbal noun, meaning it is derived from the verb verkehren, which describes the act of moving back and forth or interacting.
Examples in context
- Gab es viel Verkehr?Was there a lot of traffic?This sentence is useful for asking about the amount of Verkehr.Tatoeba #8303175 by Luiaard, translation #50900 by CK
- Es war kaum Verkehr.There wasn't much traffic at all.This sentence is useful for stating there was very little Verkehr.Tatoeba #12452014 by Waldelfe, translation #11699157 by Amastan
- Der Verkehr stand still.Traffic was at a standstill.This sentence is useful for describing when Verkehr was at a standstill.Tatoeba #6826784 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4494030 by CK
- Ist der Verkehr heute schlimm?Is the traffic bad today?
- Der Straßenverkehr in dieser Stadt ist sehr hektisch.The road traffic in this city is very busy.
- Es gab einen schrecklichen Stau auf der Autobahn.There was a terrible traffic jam on the highway.
- In der Innenstadt herrscht immer Verkehrschaos.There's always traffic chaos in the city center.
- 264 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are talking about their commute.
- MaximilianWarum bist du heute so spät, Hannah?Why are you so late today, Hannah?
- HannahEs gab heute extrem viel Verkehr in der Stadt.There was extremely heavy traffic in the city today.
- MaximilianWar die Straße komplett blockiert?Was the road completely blocked?
- HannahJa, der Verkehr bewegte sich kaum.Yes, the traffic was barely moving.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “traffic” translations and entries Verkehr, Personenverkehr, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Personenverkehr, Verkehr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
