German word

Stau

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃtaʊ̯/

Meaning

  • masculine nountraffic jam

Example

Ich stehe im Stau.

I'm stuck in traffic.

Illustration for Stau (traffic jam)

More examples

Die Baustelle hat gestern einen Stau verursacht.

The construction site caused a traffic jam yesterday.

Core concept

Something that accumulates when movement through a narrow passage is slowed or stopped.

Common phrases

  • im Stau stehen

    be stuck in a traffic jam

  • einen Stau verursachen

    cause a traffic jam

  • am Stau vorbeifahren

    drive past the traffic jam

Similar words

Verkehrsstau: A long-lasting traffic jam spanning a broad area.
Verkehrsbehinderung: Disrupted road traffic caused by an accident or other obstruction.

Definition in German

Verkehrsblockade auf Straßen, bei der viele Fahrzeuge dicht aneinandergereiht stehen und es zu Verzögerungen kommt.

Word origin

The traffic sense of Stau developed from the older sense of a flow held back by stauen.

Usage tips

  • Compounds such as Arbeitsstau and Datenstau use Stau for non-traffic backlogs.

Other meanings

  • backlognoun

Opposites

  • Fließverkehrfree-flowing trafficnoun

Related words

  • stauencongestverb
  • gestautbacked upadjective

Word lists with this word