to drive through / pass through
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to drive through
To cross an area, route, or place from one end to the other, usually without stopping. This verb is inseparable, for example 'er durchfährt die Stadt' (he drives through the city).
Auf dem Weg nach Italien haben wir die ganze Schweiz durchfahren.
On the way to Italy, we drove through all of Switzerland.
This verb is separable or inseparable depending on the meaning. Inseparable, as in 'er durchfährt' (he drives through), it means 'to cross something'. Separable, as in 'er fährt durch' (he passes through / keeps going), it means 'not to stop'.
Der LKW durchfährt die schmale Gasse. (untrennbar)
The truck drives through the narrow alley. (inseparable)
The auxiliary verb in the perfect tense depends on separability. The inseparable form forms the perfect with 'haben' (hat durchfahren). The separable form forms the perfect with 'sein' (ist durchgefahren).
Er hat die ganze Nacht durchfahren. (untrennbar)
He drove through the whole night. (inseparable)
The inseparable form is always transitive, meaning it needs an accusative object. This object is the place or area being crossed.
Wir müssen noch zwei Länder durchfahren, bis wir ankommen.
We still have to drive through two countries before we arrive.
In the inseparable, figurative meaning, the subject is the feeling or thought, and the accusative object is the person. The construction is therefore: 'Ein Gefühl durchfährt jemanden' (a feeling runs through someone).
Ein Gefühl der Erleichterung durchfuhr sie.
A feeling of relief ran through her.
to hold
'halten' and 'durchfahren' are often opposites in traffic contexts. 'halten' means that a vehicle stops, for example at a stop or in front of a barrier. Here, 'durchfahren' means that the vehicle does not stop, but continues on. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with a journey and a specific point along the route. The key point is: if the vehicle comes to a stop, it 'hält'. If it keeps going, it 'fährt durch'.
Der Zug fährt durch, weil an diesem Bahnhof niemand aussteigen will.
The train passes through because no one wants to get off at this station.
Der Bus hält heute nicht an der kleinen Haltestelle.
The bus is not stopping at the small stop today.