01
das Car
coach
A word used mainly in Switzerland for a large, comfortable coach or tour bus.
example
Für den Firmenausflug haben wir ein Car gemietet.
We rented a coach for the company outing.
das Car
coach / bus
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Meanings
Usage tips
False friend
Careful: 'das Car' is not the English word 'car' (Auto/PKW, passenger car). In German, especially in Switzerland, it refers to a large coach or tour bus. This mistake can lead to major misunderstandings.
EXAMPLE
Die ganze Schulklasse fuhr mit dem Car in die Berge.
The whole school class went to the mountains by coach.
Regional usage
This word is a Helvetism, meaning it is used almost exclusively in Switzerland. There, it is an everyday word for a coach or tour bus.
EXAMPLE
In Zürich stehen am Bahnhof viele Cars für Touristen bereit.
In Zurich, many coaches for tourists are waiting at the station.
Typical collocations
Typical verbs used with 'Car' are 'ein Car mieten' (to rent a coach), 'mit dem Car fahren' (to travel by coach), or 'im Car sitzen' (to sit in the coach).
EXAMPLE
Für unsere Gruppenreise nach Italien haben wir ein Car gemietet.
We rented a coach for our group trip to Italy.
Compare with
Car vs Bus
bus
'der Bus' and 'das Car' can both mean a large vehicle for many people. 'der Bus' is the normal word in general German, especially for public transport in the city or on fixed routes. 'das Car' is used mainly in Switzerland for a large, comfortable coach or tour bus. Learners may confuse the words because both transport people. If you do not specifically mean Swiss German, 'der Bus' is usually more natural. 'das Car' fits better for travel in Switzerland or in Swiss usage.
Car
Das Car bringt die Reisegruppe bequem von Zürich nach Lugano.
The coach takes the tour group comfortably from Zurich to Lugano.
Bus
Am Morgen war der Bus so voll, dass viele Leute stehen mussten.
In the morning, the bus was so full that many people had to stand.
In real life
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