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Meaning & use

autobahn

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈɔːtəbɑːn/
US/ˈaʊtəbɑːn/

Meaning

  1. nouncountable

    A major high-speed road in Germany, part of the national motorway network; some stretches have no general speed limit.

    Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an autobahn' or 'the autobahns'. Often used with 'on': 'on the autobahn'.

    Patterns

    • on the autobahn
    • drive on the autobahn
    • the German autobahn network

    We drove on the autobahn from Munich to Berlin and were surprised by how fast some cars went.

    The autobahn is famous for having sections with no speed limit, but many parts do have limits.

    Truck drivers must follow strict rules on the autobahn, including speed limits and rest periods.

Word forms

pluralautobahns

Common combinations

on the autobahn
There was very little traffic on the autobahn that morning.
drive on the autobahn
If you drive on the autobahn, stay in the right lane unless you are passing.
the German autobahn
The German autobahn is known for its lack of a general speed limit in some areas.
autobahn network
The autobahn network connects all major cities in Germany.

Synonyms and how they differ

motorway
The usual British word for a high-speed road; use 'motorway' for UK roads and 'autobahn' only for German ones.
freeway
The American word for a similar road; 'freeway' is used in the US, not for German roads.
highway
A general word for a main road; 'autobahn' is more specific and refers only to Germany's motorways.

Commonly confused: autobahn or Autobahn?

autobahn vs Autobahn

In German, 'Autobahn' is a common noun and is capitalized because all German nouns are. In English, it is usually written with a lowercase 'a' unless it starts a sentence.

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