How to Say ‘We were stuck in traffic.’ in German
Wir standen im Stau.
veer SHTAHN-den im shtow
[veer SHTAHN-den im shtow]
Phrase Breakdown
Wir standen
veer SHTAHN-den
we were standing / we were stuck
In this context, the past tense means being delayed or stopped in traffic.
Wir standen lange an der Ampel.
We were stopped at the traffic light for a long time.
Words in this phrase
Wir
[veer]
we
First-person plural pronoun.
Wir standen im Stau und kamen zu spät.
We were stuck in traffic and arrived late.
standen
[SHTAHN-den]
were standing / stood
Past tense showing that movement stopped for some time.
Wir standen fast zwanzig Minuten.
We were stuck for almost twenty minutes.
Im Stau.
im shtow
in traffic jam.
Means being stuck in a traffic jam.
Wir saßen im Stau fest.
We were stuck in a traffic jam.
Words in this phrase
im
[im]
in the
Contracted form of 'in dem.'
Wir standen im Zentrum fest.
We were stuck in the city center.
Stau
[shtow]
traffic jam
A line of slow or stopped traffic.
Wir standen im Stau wegen eines Unfalls.
We were stuck in traffic because of an accident.
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