01
parken
to park
To leave a vehicle in a designated or permitted place and let it stand there for a certain time.
example
Ich muss noch einen Platz finden, um das Auto zu parken.
I still need to find a spot to park the car.
parken
to park
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Perfect tense with 'haben'
The verb 'parken' (to park) always forms the past with the auxiliary verb 'haben' (to have). It describes an action and not a change of state or movement from A to B.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mein Auto direkt vor dem Eingang geparkt.
I parked my car right in front of the entrance.
Colloquial use
In colloquial speech, 'parken' (to park) is often used jokingly for temporarily putting down any kinds of objects, or even people. This use is very informal.
EXAMPLE
Park deinen Rucksack bitte nicht mitten im Flur.
Please don't park your backpack in the middle of the hallway.
Context: work and projects
The figurative meaning of 'eine Idee oder Aufgabe zu parken' (to park/set aside an idea or task) is typical of everyday work life, especially in meetings and project management. It means postponing the topic until later.
EXAMPLE
Das ist ein guter Punkt, aber lass uns das Thema für heute parken.
That's a good point, but let's set the topic aside for today.
Typical collocations
Common combinations are 'falsch parken' (to park illegally/incorrectly), 'im Halteverbot parken' (to park in a no-stopping zone), or 'in der zweiten Reihe parken' (to double-park). These describe leaving the vehicle in a place where it is not allowed.
EXAMPLE
Wer hier falsch parkt, bekommt schnell einen Strafzettel.
Anyone who parks illegally here will quickly get a ticket.
Compare with
parken vs halten
to hold
'halten' and 'parken' can both have to do with a vehicle that is not moving on. The difference is the duration and the purpose. 'halten' means that a vehicle stops briefly, for example at a traffic light, at a stop, or to let someone get out. 'parken' means that you leave a vehicle somewhere and let it stand there for a while. Learners may confuse the words because in both cases a car is standing still. Rule of thumb: stopping briefly is 'halten'; leaving the car somewhere is 'parken'.
parken
Wir haben das Auto in einer Seitenstraße geparkt.
We parked the car on a side street.
halten
Der Bus hält vor der Schule, damit die Kinder aussteigen können.
The bus stops in front of the school so the children can get out.
In real life
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