It’s where cars drive, kids play, and addresses live. In German, it’s die Straße. This is your German Word of the Day—everyday, essential, and one of the first words you'll see on any city sign or address label.

The noun Straße means street or road, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It’s used constantly in daily life, from giving directions to describing where you live.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Straße (need help making gender stick? Our video lesson helps you get it right from the start).

Pronunciation

Straße is pronounced [SHTRAH-suh]

• Stra like “shtrah”

• ße like “suh” (the sharp ß is pronounced like ss)

• Stress is on the first syllable: STRÁße

🛑 Note: ß is a special German letter called Eszett or scharfes S, and it's only used after long vowels like the "a" in Straße. You’ll also sometimes see it written as ss in all-caps or in Switzerland: STRASSE.

Example sentences

• Ich wohne in der Müllerstraße.
  I live on Müller Street.

• Die Straße ist heute sehr voll.
  The street is very busy today.

• Geh geradeaus und dann links in die nächste Straße.
  Go straight ahead and then left onto the next street.

Nuance and usage tips

🚗 Common compound forms:

• Hauptstraße – main street

• Nebenstraße – side street

• Autostraße / Schnellstraße – high-speed road (but not a highway!)

• Landstraße – country road

• Spielstraße – play street (traffic-calmed residential zone)

• Straßenverkehr – street traffic

📬 In addresses:
The street name comes before the number:

• Beispielstraße 12, 12345 Berlin
  (Not 12 Beispielstraße as in English!)

🗺️ Common phrases:

• auf der Straße leben – to live on the street

• jemanden auf der Straße treffen – to meet someone in the street

• über die Straße gehen – to cross the street

How does this word come up in real conversations?

• "Kennst du die Straße zur Post?"
  Do you know the street to the post office?

• "In dieser Straße gibt’s keine Parkplätze."
  There are no parking spots on this street.

• "Unsere Straße ist total ruhig."
  Our street is really quiet.

Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)

Maya: Wie komme ich zur Bibliothek?
Noah: Geh diese Straße entlang und dann rechts.
Maya: Ist das weit?
Noah: Nein, nur zwei Straßen weiter.

Translation:
Maya: How do I get to the library?
Noah: Walk down this street and then turn right.
Maya: Is it far?
Noah: No, just two streets away.

Grammatical case examples

Nominative:
Die Straße ist gesperrt.
The street is closed.

Accusative:
Ich überquere die Straße.
I’m crossing the street.

Dative:
Wir stehen an der Straße.
We’re standing on the street.

Genitive:
Der Name der Straße ist kaum lesbar.
The name of the street is barely readable.

Word variations and language tidbits

• Straßenschild – street sign

• Straßenlaterne – streetlight

• Straßennamen – street names

• Straßenbahn – streetcar/tram

• Straßenseite – side of the street

• Straßenmusikant – street musician

• Straßenkind – street child

🛣️ Fun fact: Many older street names in Germany tell you what used to be there:

• Schmiedestraße – where the blacksmith worked

• Bäckerstraße – home of the baker

• Marktstraße – the market road

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Strasse
🎥 Ready to take the fast lane in German? Our free video course teaches the 1000 most common nouns—with grammar tips, visuals, and usage that’ll keep you on the right path.

Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Do you know what Stift means? You’ll need one to write down your new Straße.
And what about Strafe? Watch where you park on the Straße—or you’ll get one.